The Great Beyond
by VanessaAnnex3
Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls.
1. Preview

**Hello! We have 19 days until my return to Fanfiction, starting with "The Great Beyond"! So, I feel I should give you guys a treat so you will know what I have in store for you then. Below this passage is a short snippet of the story.**  
**Tomorrow and the day after that, I will posting the other snippets for "Baby Steps" and "Wildcat Fever: Season Two".**  
**I can't wait to be back with you guys! Also, keep a look on my website for news regarding book publications and my journey to New York in May for the book expo 2014. The website URL is on my profile!**

_Without knowing it, they had been talking for hours on end. They talked about Troy's family, finding out that he lived with his mother. He wouldn't talk much about his father, though. He was close with his mother, though. That made Gabriella smile. They both liked the same music and they both liked to spend the most time outside when it was summer. They liked the same color (blue), they liked to travel, and they both wanted to be on their own when they graduated high school. It was amazing that they had so much in common. They were strangers, but then they weren't._

_Troy glanced at the clock on the mantel and chuckled before glancing at the darkness outside. "It's almost ten. Time goes by fast."_

_"Yeah," murmured Gabriella._

_They both barely noticed that they had gotten closer to each other, their faces practically inches away from each other. Though, Troy noticed multiple times whenever Gabriella would touch his leg. It brought a shiver down his spine. He wanted her to touch him always. _

_"Where's your mom?" asked Troy._

_Gabriella looked down. "She works a lot. I barely see her. She leaves when I am at school and she comes home when I am asleep."_

_Troy smiled apologetically. "I bet the loneliness sucks."_

_"Not too much. I'm used to it. I'm able to finish my homework in peace, I can cook my own dinner, and I can take care of myself to get ready for bed," she explained._

_She paused and looked back up at him. "But, it's good to have you here."_

_Troy looked at her and stared into her beautiful, brown eyes. This girl was simply amazing. She had so much insight into life and she saw something in him. She knew he was a good person and he wanted to believe that himself. But, sometimes that was the hardest part._

_"Gabriella, sometimes I don't know what to say to you. I know we haven't known each other long, but I really feel some kind of...connection," he started. "You have such a strong look on life. I don't. I just...don't know how you do it."_

_Gabriella shrugged. "Troy, I don't know how I do it either. But, I just know that life has a lot to offer than what we already have on our plate. I remember that every day."_

_Troy smiled at her. He glanced down at her hand and tentatively held it. She looked down at their hands, but didn't pull back. She only gripped tighter. They didn't speak for a while. They just stayed in that comfortable silence until the time finally reached eleven, starting with a frantic call by Troy's mother asking if he was dead in the street._

_But, before all that, they just sat on that couch and held hands._


	2. Chapter 1

_Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls. _

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_The Great Beyond_

_Chapter One_

_She had beautiful black hair that just seemed to flow endlessly down her back. She was wearing, what I would soon find out, her favorite blue shirt that had ruffles at the waist and faded at the bottom to a sky blue color. I remembered walking into that classroom to see somebody sitting next to my spot in the back. That seat had been empty so far this year, so you could imagine how shocked I was. _

_But, I wasn't shocked that I'd have a partner next to me for the rest of the semester. I was just shocked that someone in this world looked like her. _

_Beautiful._

_Stunning._

_I didn't know that she would turn my whole world upside down once I saw her._

* * *

"Will you please quit staring at yourself in the mirror? Everybody in this entire school knows that you are the ultimate God or some shit," complained a bald guy who was drying off after their morning practice with the basketball team.

Troy Bolton stopped touching his sculpted abs for a moment to face his teammate, only smirking. "Don't be jealous, Bobby."

Bobby simply rolled his eyes and walked out of the shower room, leaving Troy to himself.

Troy stared back at the mirror as he adjusted the towel around his waist. He looked himself over one more time before nodding in approval at his tan skin and perfect body.

Everything was perfect about Troy. He had the perfect body, the perfect attitude, and the perfect girl. He had everything he could ask for. People at East High worshiped him, making it hard to believe that Troy was only seventeen. He was a senior at East High, having been in the game for at least two and a half months. He was the captain of the East High Wildcats and he was practically deemed as a God.

Yes. Life for Troy Bolton was good.

He headed back to his gym locker and slipped on his khaki shorts and his Wildcats shirt. He grabbed his gel and styled his hair in his signature fauxhawk. He clicked his tongue in the mirror in approval of his appearance before grabbing his backpack and slamming the locker shut.

Once he entered the bright hallway, he was immediately greeted by a mass amount of students that passed him on the way to class and a few girls that winked or blew him kisses. He liked the attention. It made him feel good that people liked him and looked up to him. Not as a role model, per say. He partied, he drank, and he had sex. Yet, it was with his girlfriend. But, he wasn't the kind of guy that little kids had to look up to. He was just a person that people could come to to get an autograph or to get a promise that their yearbook would get signed at the end of the year.

Whatever he had to do or say, he was welcomed and loved by everybody.

He cut a corner and entered his Spanish class, stopping in his tracks when he saw that somebody was occupying the seat next to his own. Not too many people were in class yet, but she was in here minding her own business. She must have been new because she didn't even look up from her notebook to stare at him, ogle him, or blow him a kiss.

She just sat there.

Another thing also startled him, as if he were in a trance.

She was so beautiful. He had never seen somebody so beautiful in his entire life. It was strange because she was making his heart race with just her beauty. He couldn't even imagine how it would feel if she spoke, laughed, or even looked at him. He wondered what color eyes she had.

His trance was broken when he felt people bump into him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over his shoulder to see a redhead. "Hey, Elise."

"Why are you just standing here?" she asked her boyfriend curiously.

Troy shrugged, brushing the girl out his mind. He had a girlfriend. "Nothing. I just got here, anyway. I thought I forgot something."

"Whatever. Oh, hey. Thanks for a good time last night. Are we still on for the party tonight?" she asked, smirking.

"Definitely. I'll pick you up at eight," said Troy, watching as she walked away to her desk.

Of all the seats, Elise was sitting next to the new girl's desk.

"Señor Bolton. Please take your seat," murmured Mr. Rodriguez as he passed by his student on his way towards his desk.

Troy quickly headed towards his desk and sat down cautiously, trying his hardest not to look over at the girl again. But, as the teacher made his announcements, he couldn't help it. She finally looked up from her notebook and he could actually see her eyes now.

They were sparkling and they were brown. Yet, another beautiful feature.

He looked away and stared at his notebook, gripping his pencil hard between his hands. In the process, he accidentally broke it. The noise alerted the teacher and he stopped speaking, looking over at Troy.

"Señor Bolton, is there a problem?" he inquired.

Everyone looked over at him, including her. He looked at her, too. And once again, it was like he was in a trance. He was finally looking into her eyes and he just smiled. It was a simple reaction, but he knew it could have deadly risks if anyone knew why he was smiling.

So, he turned away from her and turned his smile into a smirk. He looked at the teacher. "No problem at all, sir. Just wondering why we can't have any fun in this class."

"Pardon me?"

Troy stood up and chuckled dryly. He knew that the new girl was watching him, curious as to what he was doing. But, he had a reputation to uphold in this school. He had an honor to this school. No girl could change that, not even someone as beautiful as her.

"We never have parties, watch movies, or eat in this class. It's way too strict for my style," explained Troy. "Am I right?"

A few kids simply laughed in agreement.

Mr. Rodriguez simply smirked and stood up from his desk, leaning against it and crossing his arms. "And what, do you per say, we should do?"

Troy walked over to an ancient stereo that his teacher had and pressed the power button, allowing the flowing music of samba to fill the room. He began picking a few students from the aisle to dance with. "This is what we should do. We should just screw the work and have fun!"

The students laughed. Elise shook her head at her boyfriend until he stopped at the new girl. She had noticed her when she sat down and was immensely curious, but jealous. She was a beautiful girl. But, she watched as Troy took his turn with the new girl and it didn't make Elise too happy.

The new girl watched as this Bolton boy didn't think twice. He grabbed her hand, wanting to dance with her. She shook her head, not wanting any attention. "No, no."

Troy didn't know why he was trying to urge the new girl to dance with him. It was supposed to be some crazy show to put on for the teacher because that was what he did in school. He caused trouble. But, for some reason, he was wanting to pull the new girl into this.

He reached for her hands and pulled her up. "Come on. It's fun!"

He put his hand on her waist and held her hand with his other palm, pulling her close. He intended to dance with her to the beat of the samba music, but something changed. He slowed down his movements and it was as if he was in another trance again. But, it felt like she was in one, too. Her cheek was resting against his chest. He wondered if she could hear his fast heartbeat as they danced in the middle of the aisle.

In a classroom.

He could feel her heartbeat as her body pressed against his. It was beating fast, too. She smelled good, too. She smelled like pure vanilla and it was so sweet. He inhaled gently and his eyes fluttered closed. He couldn't see the other people around him. He couldn't hear anybody else. He could only feel this girl, smell this girl, and hear this girl's heart.

But, it couldn't last forever.

"Señor Bolton, Señorita Montez. The office will be waiting for you two," said Mr. Rodriguez, standing behind them and breaking them out of their trance.

The Montez girl quickly pulled away from him and grabbed her things. She had to get out of that classroom. She was sure that people were staring at the two of them in pure shock and hilarity. She rushed out, apologizing quickly to her teacher before she left the room.

Troy watched her leave and looked over at Elise, who didn't look too happy. He grabbed his things and left the room, suddenly eager to catch up with the new girl. They were going to the same place, anyway.

"Hey!" he shouted, spotting her walking fast down the hallway.

She suddenly turned around and stopped. He had never believed it was possible for a beautiful girl to cry. But, there she was. And there were the tears. "Was it your mission to humiliate me on my very first day?!"

"What?" Troy was simply stunned.

She scoffed, letting her tears fall to the floor. "I don't know who you think you are to do that to me, but I can't believe you would do that. It's my first day and all I want to do is get through my senior year so I can go off to college and live my life my way. But, you had to make me look ridiculous in front of strangers!"

Troy looked up at the ceiling and sighed. He felt like a jackass for the very first time. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to humiliate you. It's just something I seem to do every day. I cause trouble in classes and every where I go."

She stared at him, sniffling as she wiped away her tears. "Why?"

He had never been asked that question before. It sort of startled him. He looked at the floor with furrowed brows. "I honestly don't know. It's just...instinct. I guess."

She nodded and sighed, pulling out a tissue from her bag. She wiped her cheeks and eyes dry, putting the tissue back in her bag. "Well, life is too short. You shouldn't be living it by causing trouble."

Troy just looked at her, confused. Who was this girl? He had never met anybody that was incredibly logical and spiritual about life at all. "I guess so."

"I better get to the office. You should to," she said, heading down the hall again.

"Wait." She stopped and turned to him. "I know a better place."

* * *

They were on the rooftop, of all places!

There were beautiful rose gardens surrounding the ground, bushes upon bushes, and other plants that would exist on each page of your biology book. The blue sky was shining with the sun and wispy clouds today, making it even more gorgeous to look at.

She walked over to the railing and stared out at the mountains in the distance. "Wow. And, you are showing me this...why?"

Troy chuckled, watching her as he set his bag down on the bench. "It's my secret place to think."

"And, you're showing it to me?" she asked. "You don't know me."

"I know. But, you seem...safe enough...to show," said Troy, trying his hardest not to make it sound bad.

She simply laughed. It made Troy's heart race. It had to be the most beautiful music ever. She walked over to a rose garden and plucked out a red rose, sniffing the sweet scent. "It's beautiful up here."

"It just lets me get away from everybody down there," said Troy, sitting down on the bench. He looked at the sky. "I feel like I can breathe."

She leaned against the stair railing, twisting the rose between her fingers. "Why would you want to get away from everybody?"

Troy never really confided in anyone about his struggles with popularity except for his mother. He never even discussed it with Elise. So, why should he discuss it with this strange and beautiful girl? Maybe it was because she was willing to talk to him more even after he humiliated her. That took someone with a big heart.

"I'm the basketball captain, so that immediately gives me popularity status. People follow my lead, they talk to me every day, and they worship me," he explained. He looked at the girl with humor. "Did you hear me say that word? Worship? They _worship _me like I am some God."

"Wow," she said.

Troy was afraid that she would immediately be turned off by the type of person that he was portrayed in high school. He was worried that she would find it revolting and just plain superficial. Nobody liked to have him as a true friend because of who he was. He only had friends that took him for granted.

But, she said something different. "They're wrong."

"Huh?" he asked with furrowed brows.

She looked at him, smiling. "They obviously don't know the true person underneath the exterior. You know, I'm looking at you and I see that something else that you haven't shown the world yet."

"You figured that all out in under fifteen minutes?" asked Troy, chuckling with amazement.

"I can read people easily. I can read you," she shrugged.

Troy watched as she looked at the rose again. "You like roses?"

"Yeah. They're my favorite flower," she said.

Troy grabbed the rose from her hands and placed it in her hair. "There. Now it's even more beautiful."

She choked out a laugh and looked away. "Okay. I'm sure that the principal is going to wonder where we are at."

Troy rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. I guess." He paused, watching as she got up and walked away from him to get her things. "I'm sorry about earlier."

She stopped and looked at him. "It's fine. I forgive you."

Troy smiled and stood up with his things. "Do you want to walk together to the office?"

"Very inviting," she said, laughing. "I'd love that."

They stopped at the stairs. Troy looked at her. "I don't think we ever properly introduced ourselves." He held out his hand and smiled. "I'm Troy Bolton."

She accepted his hand and shook it, completely aware that they were holding on as if they didn't want to let go. "Gabriella Montez."

* * *

Elise hurried passed the other students with a furious glare on her face. Nobody dared to touch her or get in her way. They had heard instantly what had happened in class with Troy Bolton and the new girl. Everybody was beginning to whisper about it, but only when she was out of earshot.

She was furious, no doubt about it. Her boyfriend was hers and hers alone. Nobody stole that from Elise. It just didn't work like that. She was the most popular girl in this school. People feared her and she got joy when they cowered away from her. That meant she held power. And, she got that extra power with Troy. She loved that she was dating somebody who was hot, powerful, and sexy beyond all means. It meant she couldn't be touched.

Not even some new girl was going to mess that up for her.

She headed straight towards the office, but stopped. She watched closely as the new girl left. But, she wasn't looking at her. She was looking at Troy, who was watching the new girl leave with some goofy grin on his face. You don't leave the principal's office with a smile like that.

Elise stormed towards him, pulling him over to a corner. "What the hell was that?"

Troy furrowed his brows, confused. "What?"

"That smile you had," explained Elise. "Who is she, anyway?"

Troy simply scoffed and shrugged. "Nobody. It's nothing, Elise. I just was able to get out of detention while that girl got at least the afternoon."

Elise held a nasty smirk on her face. "I don't believe you. I know you have ways to control people, but you can't even control the principal."

"Elise," chuckled Troy, putting his arm around her. "You have nothing to worry about, okay? I'm your boyfriend. You're my girlfriend. Nothing is going to change that."

* * *

But, it wasn't true.

Troy knew the things he was thinking and what he was doing was wrong, considering he was in a relationship. He should be thinking about Elise, basketball, and his popularity status at school. Anything else would just jeopardize it. What could even possibly make him think differently of those things?

Oh, right. Her.

Troy watched her that afternoon as he left basketball practice, heading towards the parking lot to leave the school grounds. She was exiting the gate and pulling out her iPod, putting her headphones on. She looked so graceful and it was as if everything was in slow motion; the way she walked, the way she started to smile when she heard the music, and the way her hair flowed down her back.

What was it about her that Troy couldn't let go? He barely knew her, but she knew him. She knew the part of him that even he didn't know. But since meeting her only a few hours ago, it seemed like that other part of him was finally coming out of its cave. It was as if it had seen the light. Troy had seen the light.

And that light was Gabriella.

Troy jogged forward and caught up to her, grinning sheepishly when she noticed him with just a small grin. It was almost as if she was expecting him. "Hey. What are you listening to?"

Gabriella smiled, still walking with him as if it was normal. "REM."

"Wow, really? I didn't peg you to be a fan," said Troy. The girl knew her music.

She shrugged, looking straight ahead. "Music speaks to me. I don't just focus on the beat. I listen to the lyrics." She removed the left side of her ear bud and handed it to Troy.

Troy smiled, listening to "The Great Beyond". It was one of his favorite songs. He handed back the ear bud. "Nice."

Gabriella decided to put the music away, placing it back in her bag. "Enough music for now, though. I'll give you my full attention, Troy Bolton."

"Why?"

"It's the polite thing to do," she said, grinning. She didn't fail to notice his beautiful blue eyes. She suddenly had a new favorite color.

Troy pursed his lips. "Why are you still being nice to me? I mean, surely you had to have heard rumors about me. Some that are true, though."

Gabriella sighed and stopped at the curb, turning to face him. "Troy, I told you before. I don't see all of that. I see you for you. I know you are good inside. You just need help bringing it out."

"Okay. Then, what do you see in me? What is the good that you see?" Troy paused, getting closer to her. He was so close that he could smell her vanilla scent all over again. "What do you see in Troy Bolton?"

She barely had a second to think before she spoke again. She was quite confident, too. "I see you have so much more to live for than just popularity, parties, and girls. You have a bright future ahead of you and you just want to make your dreams come true."

Troy was speechless. What could he say to that?

He glanced up and noticed they were standing in front of a two story house with a blue front door. "Is this you?"

Gabriella nodded. "Yeah. It's all me."

Troy nodded and watched her go to the door. He couldn't wait forever to do this. In his heart, with the inner voice begging to come out of the cave, he decided to take a risk. What could it hurt anyway? It wasn't like he had plans to kiss her or anything.

No kissing, he thought to himself. Just talk.

"What are you doing tonight?" he asked abruptly before she left the porch.

Gabriella turned inside the entryway and smiled. "Nothing. What about you?"

Troy shrugged. "Nothing."

She chewed on her bottom lip and kept her smile. "Do you want to do nothing together?"

Troy grinned as she opened the door wide enough for him to come him. He followed her inside, knowing he was probably taking a big risk in doing this. But, as he listened to the door shut behind him, he didn't feel like he was stepping into Hell.

It only felt like he was stepping into a little piece of Heaven.

And, that Heaven was in the form of Gabriella Montez.

* * *

**Updated every WEDNESDAY!**


	3. Chapter 2

_Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_The Great Beyond_

_Chapter Two_

_My mind was completely wild that day. That one night had changed everything for me. When she held my hand, it felt immensely amazing. Her hand was so soft and it felt like electricity was coursing through my veins when our skin touched._

_Okay, I think I am getting out of hand here. You really shouldn't be hearing this kind of stuff._

_But, the next day after that night seemed to be part two of everything that was about to happen._

* * *

Her house wasn't that big inside, unlike his own living quarters. It wasn't a bad house, though. Gabriella had a decent living room with nice furniture, a pretty sweet entertainment system, nice carpet, and a patio door that led to a nice backyard which held a swing by a large oak tree. Her kitchen had linoleum floors, marble counters, and stainless steel appliances. Her house was only one story, but it defied the size on the outside.

Down the hall were two bedrooms and one bathroom. One bedroom was closed off, so he figured that it had to be her parent's room. Her bedroom door was open, though. She had white carpet, a twin bed with a red duvet, a desk with a laptop, and a balcony that overlooked the same oak tree with the swing outside.

Troy was surprised that she had actually let him inside. She was pretty bold, though. She had more insight into life than he would ever have in his entire high school career. She saw something else in him that he had no clue about. It was pretty fascinating. He didn't know how to stay away from her.

He watched Gabriella as she went into the kitchen. She glanced over at him. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

Troy shrugged nonchalantly. "Do you have any beer?"

Gabriella seemed to falter uneasily, but she shook her head. "No. My mother doesn't allow alcohol...anymore. Water?"

He nodded and watched as she grabbed two water bottles from the refrigerator. She began putting together a few snacks, leaving him alone to his thoughts and her living room. He was curious, wondering why she had reacted that way. And, what did she mean by her comment? Her mother didn't allow alcohol _anymore? _He decided to let it go. He didn't want to push her into revealing secrets until she was ready.

He glanced at the pictures on the mantel and smiled, spotting a picture of Gabriella that must have been taken last year at her old school. She looked quite elegant, even though you could only see her shoulders and up. She must have been wearing some kind of pink sweater with pearls. Her black hair was in curls and her smile seemed to light up the entire picture, though there was something behind that smile. The smile didn't reach her eyes like they should. Her eyes weren't sparkling.

He was knocked from his reverie when Gabriella appeared, thrusting a water bottle towards him. She glanced at the picture and turned him away from it, smiling. "Hungry?"

He noticed she was holding a tray of sandwiches and some chips. He couldn't help but chuckle as he grabbed a sandwich. "A tray? I didn't think you would be that...proper...towards me."

Gabriella furrowed her brows, but smiled with humor. "I can take this tray back into the kitchen and dump the food."

Troy shook his head frantically after finishing up his sandwich. "No way. I'm a man. A man needs to eat good food and this food is really good. You make a mean sandwich."

She giggled and set the tray down, walking over to the couch and sitting down. She watched Troy stare at the picture one more time before staring at the space next to her on the couch. "You can sit down. I won't bite."

He smiled and sat next to her, making sure to keep a reasonable amount of distance between them. "That picture is...beautiful."

Gabriella nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah. Right before that picture was taken, someone taped a 'Kick Me' sign on my back. I got a few good kicks to my ass. Then, right after the picture, I got thrown into the pool."

Troy furrowed his brows and clenched his fists on instinct. "What the hell? Why?"

She shrugged and gave him a small smile. "It's just because people are like that. They don't like people that seem to be intimidating. I was one of the smart girls, I was nice, and I didn't fit in. I was a target."

"Why are you taking it so lightly?" asked Troy, bewildered.

"It's in the past now. I'm used to it," she said. She immediately changed the subject and smiled brighter at him. "So, tell me about you."

"What do you want to know?" asked Troy.

"How long have you been playing basketball?" she asked him.

Troy nodded and sighed softly. "I've been playing since I could walk. It's really the only thing I know."

"Is it something you want to do forever? Like, as a career?" She watched him carefully.

Troy had never been asked that before. Sure, local reporters had asked him about his career. But, he never took it seriously. He'd always say that basketball was his only meaning for life. But, with Gabriella, he didn't want to answer it lightly. He wanted to be truthful about it. She deserved that much.

"Honestly, I don't know. Basketball can end in a second with one injury. But, I just don't really know. I mean, I'm a senior. It's the middle of October and I don't even know what I want to do with my life after high school," explained Troy. He looked at Gabriella. "Isn't that sad?"

Gabriella shook her head. "Not really. Troy, you aren't the only one that doesn't know what they want to do. I don't know what I want to do, but I know I will figure it out. And, so will you."

"You really believe that?" he asked her.

Gabriella smiled and scooted closer to him, catching him by surprise. "I believe in you, Troy Bolton."

Who was this girl?

* * *

Without knowing it, they had been talking for hours on end. They talked about Troy's family, finding out that he lived with his mother. He wouldn't talk much about his father, though. He was close with his mother, though. That made Gabriella smile. They both liked the same music and they both liked to spend the most time outside when it was summer. They liked the same color (blue), they liked to travel, and they both wanted to be on their own when they graduated high school. It was amazing that they had so much in common. They were strangers, but then they weren't.

Troy glanced at the clock on the mantel and chuckled before glancing at the darkness outside. "It's almost ten. Time goes by fast."

"Yeah," murmured Gabriella.

They both barely noticed that they had gotten closer to each other, their faces practically inches away from each other. Though, Troy noticed multiple times whenever Gabriella would touch his leg. It brought a shiver down his spine. He wanted her to touch him always.

"Where's your mom?" asked Troy.

Gabriella looked down. "She works a lot. I barely see her. She leaves when I am at school and she comes home when I am asleep."

Troy smiled apologetically. "I bet the loneliness sucks."

"Not too much. I'm used to it. I'm able to finish my homework in peace, I can cook my own dinner, and I can take care of myself to get ready for bed," she explained.

She paused and looked back up at him. "But, it's good to have you here."

Troy looked at her and stared into her beautiful, brown eyes. This girl was simply amazing. She had so much insight into life and she saw something in him. She knew he was a good person and he wanted to believe that himself. But, sometimes that was the hardest part.

"Gabriella, sometimes I don't know what to say to you. I know we haven't known each other long, but I really feel some kind of...connection," he started. "You have such a strong look on life. I don't. I just...don't know how you do it."

Gabriella shrugged. "Troy, I don't know how I do it either. But, I just know that life has a lot to offer than what we already have on our plate. I remember that every day."

Troy smiled at her. He glanced down at her hand and tentatively held it. She looked down at their hands, but didn't pull back. She only gripped tighter. They didn't speak for a while. They just stayed in that comfortable silence until the time finally reached eleven, starting with a frantic call by Troy's mother asking if he was dead in the street.

But, before all that, they just sat on that couch and held hands.

* * *

Gabriella had to admit. She had a pretty good time with Troy last night. She was telling the truth when she said that she saw so much more in him, but he made her nervous. Besides his interior self, he was also very handsome. And charming...witty...funny...kind. He knew how to make her laugh.

But, he was taken. And, he was popular. Gabriella already knew the kind of person people thought Troy was. She had seen his face on posters that decorated the cafeteria, the hallways, and even a few classrooms. In every picture, he was holding a basketball in some type of position; dribbling, dunking, or just holding it. He wasn't smiling, though.

She loved his smile. She had a strong inkling that he never had on a true smile around his "friends". Though, who was she to judge? She was a stranger to him, even though they spent hours last night talking. And, their knees had touched. They had held hands.

She had wanted to kiss him.

But, she was not his type. They were completely different people. It would never work, not even as friends. Not even as acquaintances. What would people think if they saw them together? It would completely destroy the status quo of the school.

She shouldn't care what other people think. She never did. At least, not out loud. She was a teenager. She had insecurities. She would wonder about her weight, her hair color, her outfit of the day, and even her eating habits.

But, that wasn't the point. The point was that her fantasy with Troy was just that. A fantasy. Last night was a one time thing. She just knew it. She could feel it in her gut.

So, imagine her surprise when she spotted him walking towards her locker in plain sight as she stood before it herself.

"Hey," he smiled, placing his hands in his jean pockets. He glanced down at her outfit that consisted of a sweater dress and knee high, flat boots. "You look pretty today."

Gabriella couldn't help but blush and smiled. Honestly, she had hoped he would find her pretty today. "Thank you. So do you."

Did she really call him pretty?

Troy chuckled lightly, running a hand through his fauxhawk. "So, what class do you have first?"

"English. And, then of course, Spanish." Gabriella smirked at him, remembering yesterday.

"Are you going to hold that against me forever?" he asked, matching her smirk as he got closer to her.

Gabriella mentally took note of how close they were at the moment. In public. "Depends."

"On what?"

"Are you going to be in my life forever?" she asked quietly, shutting her locker and walking the other way.

Troy furrowed his brows, confused as he caught up with her. "What do you mean by that? I mean..." He paused. "...as friends?"

"I suppose. If anything else, I believe your girlfriend wouldn't be a big fan of that." Gabriella lowered her eyes to the ground and walked away faster, beating Troy around the corner.

Troy was about to catch up with her and ask her why she kept running away when he finally noticed the reason.

Elise.

She looked angry. "What the hell are you doing? I saw you two, Troy. You guys were so close."

Troy rolled his eyes. He was really getting tired of Elise being so jealous and so...annoying. "It was nothing. You are overreacting."

He began to walk away towards class, but Elise followed. "Troy, you stop right there. I don't want you hanging out with her. She will ruin everything for us."

"She isn't ruining anything, Elise." He stopped at his classroom and glared at her. "You need to trust your boyfriend. You know what that is, right?"

"Of course I do," she muttered, waving the question away. "You need to remember your place at this school. Otherwise, she will bring you down."

Troy watched her walk away and sighed, shaking his head as he walked into the classroom.

Things had calmed down between Troy and Elise, which pleased him greatly. Though, she kept acting as if everything was normal. She would blow him kisses across the hall, grope him, and even ask him to sneak away for some "you and me time". Nothing was normal with them anymore.

Ever since he met Gabriella, nothing had been normal. Maybe even before.

He wasn't going to lie, not even to himself. He liked Gabriella. He liked looking at her, talking to her, smiling at her, and just thinking about her. She was starting to consume his mind and he couldn't quite grasp it. She had such wisdom and such kindness. She had such love and he yearned to learn so much more about that love. She was making him a better person already.

* * *

He walked into the lunchroom that early afternoon and ventured into the lunch line, trying to decide between a ham sandwich and a cheeseburger. Both didn't look that great, but he was starving. He didn't really have much of a breakfast. Partly because he had extreme butterflies, thanks to Gabriella.

He was being such a girl. But, she was making him do pretty extraordinary things in his life. He was changing. He could feel it.

He took his tray to his usual table next to a few basketball players, gave them all a friendly nod, and dug into his food. Making his assumptions true, the food wasn't that great. But, he was hungry and he was a guy. It was natural for him to eat, eat, and eat.

God, he promised himself never to brag about that to Gabriella. Major turn off.

Speaking of, he finally noticed her over his shoulder. He couldn't help but stare at her as she carried her tray, trying to find a place to sit. She chose the ham sandwich with mashed potatoes and fruit punch. As he stared at her, it was as if all noise had ceased. It was only them. She could hear her breathing and her steady heartbeat. They were the only two people in the lunchroom.

He was ready to wave her over and tell her to come sit next to him when everything seemed to go in slow motion, returning to reality. Some big football player walked passed her, knocked against her tray on purpose, and completely covering her body with messy food and red punch. The entire cafeteria began to laugh as she stood there, stunned at what had just happened.

Troy watched her run out, not looking at anybody. She didn't even notice him, but he noticed her. And, the tears. He rushed out after her, ignoring the looks by a few students. He caught up with her as she ran into the girl's bathroom. Honestly, he didn't care if it was swimming pool.

Gabriella gasped when she saw him appear in the mirror as she began to wash off the stains. She quickly wiped at her tears and smiled bravely. "Troy, what are you doing here? This is the girl's bathroom. You could get in trouble."

"I don't care," he said, shaking his head. "Are you okay?"

She scoffed lightly. "Troy, it's just food. It's not going to kill me."

Troy glared at the thought. "I should kill that guy."

Gabriella refused to meet his eyes as she scrubbed, going from calm to furious. She was obviously getting nowhere, but spreading it around more. She had worked so hard in making sure that she looked good. She wanted to impress Troy. And now, she looked disgusting.

She finally threw the tissues and paper towels in the trash can, storming out of the restroom. She had to hide or do something. She couldn't be seen like this. People would laugh. Troy would laugh at her. He would find her unworthy of him and everything that has to do with him. Last night would be a tragedy, not a blessing.

But, Troy was still following her. "Hey! Stop! Gabriella!" He grabbed her hand, causing her to stop in her tracks. "What is going on? What happened to the girl from last night?"

Gabriella just looked at him and shook her head, smiling but tears filling her eyes. "I knew you would think like this. You wouldn't find me the same. But, I am. I'm still me. I just..."

Troy suddenly realized how his question had sounded and sighed, dropping her hand. He rubbed his forehead. "I didn't mean it like that, Gabriella. I just don't want that person to disappear. I know that's who you are and I like that."

Gabriella just nodded and stood in her spot, tugging at her sleeves. She didn't know what to say, but she believed him. This was the Troy she knew, not the act he put on for everybody else. This was the Troy he always showed for her and only her.

Troy took her hand again more gently and smiled, stroking her fingers with his thumb. "Come with me. There's a place that I want to show you."


	4. Chapter 3

_Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_The Great Beyond_

_Chapter Three_

_Things weren't always easy when it came to winning her heart. I had a girlfriend, so it really wasn't right for a guy to be liking another girl. But, there was just something about her that I couldn't let go. She made me feel things that I had never felt before. _

_She was one amazing girl back then. She still is._

* * *

Troy held her hand as he covered her eyes with his other palm, chuckling as she began mumbling curses as he helped her up the stairs. He kept reassuring her that he wasn't going to toss her over the building, despite what she was claiming. He was afraid that she would eventually punch him in the stomach or remove his hand due to her frustration.

He stopped and smiled against her ear. "Okay. Are you ready?"

She sighed heavily. "I've been ready. Just kill me already."

He laughed breathlessly against her ear, sending chills down her spine. "One…two…three!"

He removed his palm, allowing Gabriella to finally open her eyes. She squinted against the bright sunlight and gasped as she took in her surroundings. She was face to face with over a thousand rosebuds; pink, white, and red. She slowly walked further on the surface, running her hands along a steel, stairwell pole.

"What…" she murmured quietly.

She looked straight ahead to see the rows and rows of mountaintops that cushioned the town below. They were a deep red with a hint of brown, but they were beautiful. It was such a beautiful sight. She didn't even have to think twice about the other groups of flowers and plants that surrounded the rooftop grounds.

The roof? "Wait. Can't you get expelled for this?" she asked Troy, turning to face him for a moment.

Troy shook his head, slowly walking towards her. "Nope. I had a little help from students in the science club."

"Troy Bolton? Mixing with the science club?" Gabriella couldn't help but giggle.

"Hey," he chuckled. "It's come in handy. None of my friends know about it. I like to come up here and think."

"How often do you come up here?" she asked, walking over to the edge and gazing at the view.

"Not too often. Normally it's before a big game or a test," he explained, shrugging nonchalantly.

He walked over to her and stood next to her, gazing at the view. It really was spectacular. But, he had a whole other view to look at it and she was standing right next to him. That view was even more spectacular.

"Where do you go to think?" he asked her.

"I like to stay in my room and think. I'll just sit out on my balcony and look up at the sky. It sounds totally cliché, I know. But, it helps me out." She smiled absentmindedly and then looked down. "You know what?"

"What?" asked Troy, thinking about how desperately he wanted to hold her hand.

"How crazy would a person have to be to jump?" she asked, gesturing to the ground below.

Troy paused warily, chewing on his bottom lip. "Do you want to jump?"

"Not really. I'd like to fly," she said, spreading out her arms and gazing at the mountains. "How amazing would it be to just fly and never look back?"

Troy watched her spin around on her toes, suddenly gasping through his teeth as he watched her stumble over her own feet. He quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and held her as they both landed on the patch of grass that held blooming flowers in their own respective space.

He was wrong before. Staring into her eyes was the most spectacular view. Their faces were mere inches apart as they stared into each other's eyes. She gazed at his miraculously, stunning blue eyes. He was mesmerized by her sparkling, amazing brown eyes. Everything about her was amazing. Her lips curved in a cute bow. Her cheeks were blushed an embarrassing pink. And, her skin was incredibly smooth.

Troy barely had a single blemish on his features. His lips were adorably pursed in the way that made you want to kiss them all night. His tan skin was a bit scratchy due to his stubble, but it was sexy. It was a sexy touch that she never wanted to let go of.

"I guess I can't fly," whispered Gabriella, absentmindedly touching his cheek.

Troy's breath caught in his throat as she touched him. He knew it and she knew it. They wanted to kiss each other so badly right now. He would do anything to kiss this magnificent girl. But, he had a girlfriend. He may be cocky and outspoken, but he didn't really believe in cheating. Then again, Gabriella wasn't like any other girl. She definitely wasn't his girlfriend and he liked that. He wanted _her _to be his girlfriend. Not Elise.

But, he couldn't do that yet. Gabriella wouldn't want him to do that. Not when he was with Elise. She was a girl with morals and he didn't want to destroy those morals for her. So, he got up from his spot and helped her stand up, keeping his hands to himself.

"So…I think…uh…the bell is going to ring soon," he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Gabriella nodded, placing a tendril behind her ear. She refused to meet his gaze. "Yeah. I think so."

Their eyes finally met as they both smiled, knowing something was definitely happening between them. It was hard to admit in person, but they knew it in their hearts and minds. They walked toward each other, completely entranced. What was going to happen when their feet met?

The bell interrupted their trance and they both sighed. They couldn't decide if it was a lifesaver or pure torture.

"Hey," started Troy. "I'm having basketball practice this afternoon. Why don't you come and watch?"

Gabriella giggled. "Basketball? Am I allowed to watch?"

"Yeah. I want you to come," he told her, holding on to her hands gently.

Gabriella looked at their hands and couldn't help but grip his tightly and securely. It felt good. "Troy, why do you always want me around?"

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

He was suddenly wrapping his arms around her and burying his nose in her hair. It felt comforting, but it made her nervous. "I'm the new girl. I'm not popular. I'm not pretty. You have a girlfriend."

Troy pulled back, but kept his arms around her. "First of all, I don't care if you are popular. That doesn't mean anything. Second of all, you are gorgeous. I noticed that from the start. And third, Elise…" He shook his head and sighed. "She is hard to explain. I don't even know why I am with her. But, she doesn't matter. You do. Plus, I like your company. You make me a better person." He tapped her nose lightly. "You keep me on my toes and I keep you on your toes."

Gabriella giggled at his mention of the incident a few moments ago. "I get it, I get it." She chewed on her bottom lip before sighing. "I'll go. What time?"

Troy grinned. "Practice starts at three. I'll even take you home."

"Okay," she murmured, trying to hide a smile but failing.

"We better get to class. I'm sure we're already late," said Troy, leading them down the stairs.

The entire time, he never let go of her hand.

* * *

Troy felt good. He felt even better than the last time he was in here. It wasn't because of his vain thoughts regarding his popularity or even his life in general. It was about one girl that wasn't even his. But, he wished she was his. That would make him even happier.

There was something about Gabriella. He couldn't put his finger on one thing. It was everything about her. She was smart, beautiful, funny, kind, and whimsical. She was everything. She was everything to him. He wanted to protect her and care for her and…love her.

His happiness must have been noticeable by Chad. He came to Troy and looked at him through the locker mirror. "What's going on?"

Troy shrugged, still smiling. "Nothing."

Chad nodded with pursed lips. "So, your smile has nothing to do with the new girl?"

"What do you mean?" asked Troy, furrowing his brows as he threw on his jersey.

"Everybody saw you run after her in the cafeteria today. People are talking," said Chad, giving him a knowing glance.

Troy didn't say anything because he didn't care what people said. He didn't even care what Elise said. It wasn't a crime to be nice to a girl that you kind of, sort of, maybe, most definitely had a crush on. Right?

"Come on. We've got to get out there or coach is going to bust our balls," said Troy, leaving the locker room.

* * *

Gabriella eased her way through the door, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. To be honest, she had never been inside a gym before. She was always stuck in the library or at her house. She never went to basketball games or pep rallies. They were always boring to her. And, she had even refused to take gym just because she was uncoordinated. She couldn't shoot a basket without crushing her feet.

The gymnasium was really big, though. The floors were decorated so they would easily work with the basketball games, providing appropriate lines and goals for the players. There were six basketball hoops that went around in one big rectangle in the room. Red and white bleachers decorated with Wildcats and paw prints were on both sides of the gymnasium.

She finally saw him.

He ran out with a few other players and grabbed basketballs, forming in a circle around an older man. They must be preparing before they practice. It was pretty fascinating to watch, though. It looked incredibly intense.

And, Troy looked good in a Wildcat uniform.

Elise was a cheerleader. Head cheerleader, to be exact. It just made her rise above the rest of the students. She was still popular before she dated Troy. But having him now made her more powerful. She could practically stomp all over the students like a welcome mat. It felt good.

One girl she really wanted to stomp on had entered the gymnasium. She glanced at her and sneered. That stupid Gabriella what's-her-face was starting to get on her nerves. She was hanging around with Troy way too much. And, that little incident in the lunchroom had just made Elise hate her more. So she had gotten food on her stupid outfit. So what?

Elise walked over to her as the guys started practice. Her cheerleaders followed her like little ducklings. "Hey, freak."

Gabriella looked at Elise. She wasn't afraid of the girl, but she was intimidating. After all, she was flirting with her boyfriend. Not on purpose, though. "What?"

"Get out."

Gabriella had to try her hardest not to laugh. "Excuse me? It's a gym. I can come in here if I want."

"Not on my terms. I know why you are here. It's because of Troy, _my boyfriend_. You don't have permission to be here," explained Elise, smirking nastily.

"Actually, I do." Gabriella grinned at Troy, who waved at her. She waved back. "Troy invited me."

Elise glanced at Troy and then back at Gabriella, chuckling dryly. She got closer to her and shook her head. "You are really messing with the wrong girlfriend."

"I'm not doing anything. You're still with Troy. I don't steal boyfriends," said Gabriella, shaking her head.

"Don't give me that bullshit. I know exactly what you are doing. Everybody saw it in the cafeteria. You have him wrapped around your little finger. I would advise you to cut him off that finger in one second before I start something that I have been dying to get rid of," threatened Elise.

Elise then pushed Gabriella with a smirk.

Gabriella stumbled back a bit, but shook her head. "You don't scare me."

"Oh really?" She pushed harder. "How about now, tough cookie?"

She stumbled back a few more steps, but stood her ground. She wasn't going to let this girl push her around. Literally. "Elise, I have a serious backbone. You don't scare me and you never…"

Gabriella didn't expect it at all. One minute, she was standing firmly on her feet. The next, she was on the ground and clutching her face. She barely touched her eye and felt a welt forming. Elise had given her a black eye, of all the things!

Elise stood over Gabriella, keeping her smirk. "Do I scare you now, bitch?!"

The coach ran over, blowing his whistle madly. Gabriella could barely hear him yell at Elise, though. Her head was swimming and there was a ringing in her ears that wouldn't go away. She could barely open her eye and it hurt a lot. She had never gotten a black eye before.

She didn't even deserve it.

Troy ran over once he heard the sound of Gabriella shouting out in pain as her body hit the ground. He dropped the basketball and rushed over to her, not knowing where to touch her. He tried calling her name, but she wasn't hearing him. He had had black eyes before so he understood.

But, this was Gabriella. She didn't deserve one.

He glanced up at Elise, who was being held back by the coach. "What the hell?!"

"You're cheating on me with her!" she shouted, glaring at him. "How dare you!"

"You're crazy, Elise! What is your problem?" asked Troy, helping Gabriella stand up.

Elise pointed at Gabriella, desperate to throw another punch. "_She _is my problem!"

Troy ignored her as he led Gabriella to the nurse's office. He wanted to punch a wall or a locker or something. He was so angry that Gabriella had gotten hurt. By his own girlfriend! Some girlfriend. Who was she, anyway? They never really got to know each other. All they did was kiss and have sex. What kind of relationship was that, anyway?

He knocked on the wood door, alerting the nurse who was just about to leave. "Hey, doc. We have a black eye here. Girl fight, I suppose."

The nurse sighed and shook her head as if she got patients like this all the time. She patted the bed. "Bring her over here."

Troy set Gabriella down on the bed gently before sitting next to her, holding her hand as the nurse began to fix her up. He watched as Gabriella winced at the touch of the nurse's cotton swab. She was quiet, too. Troy wanted to know what she was thinking. Did he ever want to see him again?

"I'm sorry," she murmured, not meeting his eyes.

Troy furrowed his brows, confused. "For what?"

"I'm causing a big mess in your life. I should have never met you," she admitted.

Troy squeezed her hand. "Don't say that. I am glad I met you. It's the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"You're just saying that because I am hurt," she murmured, shaking her head.

"No, I'm not." Troy kissed her hand gently. "I truly mean it, Gabriella. I would never lie to you."

Gabriella looked down as the nurse prepared a small gauze to put under her eye. "Why do you keep defying your girlfriend?"

Troy shrugged and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Honestly, I'm getting really tired of her."

"Then, why are you still with her? Pardon me, Troy. But, being with her is a completely stupid idea," explained Gabriella, scoffing lightly.

Troy held a small smirk at her insult towards Elise. "I know how you feel about her. I completely understand. It's just difficult to do anything with her. It's hard to explain." He chuckled dryly. "Everything is difficult when it comes to Elise, to be honest."

Gabriella sighed as the gauze was applied. She thanked the nurse and turned to him, still holding hands with him. "Troy, it's not that hard. If you can't handle it, if it isn't right, then just let go. Elise will be angry, but it's what is right if you can't handle her anymore."

Troy hesitated. He wanted to be with Gabriella so badly. He would climb the tallest mountain for her and shout out his feelings to the entire world. "It's just not that easy, Gabriella."

Gabriella didn't know what to say. She was basically being rejected by Troy. Of course she wanted to be with him. He probably already knew that. He wanted to be with her, too. She could tell. But, he wasn't willing to break up with Elise for her. How was she supposed to even take that? How was she supposed to even face him after that? She had been rejected by a guy she really, really liked. He was a guy that made her feel like she was on top of the world, like she really _could _fly. He made her feel beautiful. He cared for her and protected her.

But, he had rejected her.

She stood up from the bed and walked out of the room, not wanting to be around him. Troy watched her leave. "Where are you going?!"

She never answered.

She simply left Troy sitting there, pondering over her words and wondering how he could screw things up even worse than they already were.


	5. Chapter 4

_Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_The Great Beyond_

_Chapter Four_

_I was afraid to lose her, you know? _

_It wasn't always easy, but I was desperate to make things work with her. I was in love with her. I still am, of course. _

_Some days were hard, though._

* * *

Troy wasn't smiling.

He wasn't making himself look presentable in his gym locker mirror.

He wasn't feeling proud to be himself at the moment.

He simply stared at his reflection in the mirror, clutching his towel around his waist. He felt immobile. The rest of the team was already dressed and leaving the gym for the afternoon, having finished basketball practice nearly twenty minutes ago.

Yet, Troy was still in his towel and the shower water had run off his skin a few minutes ago. His hair was already drying, but he didn't feel like getting dressed. He didn't feel like moving. Something was wrong and it been like this for over a week.

For over a week, he hadn't seen Gabriella. He hadn't spoken to her. _She _wouldn't speak to him. He had no idea why, though. He would wait for her at her locker, but she would never show up. He almost wondered if she had transferred to different schools, but he had seen a glimpse of her in the hallway when he was racing to class. She didn't even sit next to him in Spanish class anymore.

But, why wasn't she talking to him?

Things had just been weird since Elise had punched her in the face. He was still with Elise and he didn't know why. He should have broken up with her the moment he met Gabriella. For some reason, he couldn't let go of the life he knew. He was popular, he had great friends, and he had a woman in his life that was really hot.

Superficial.

When did he become so superficial?

Spending time with Gabriella had been teaching him to dig deeper into life. There was something else there and she saw that in him. She saw something more than the popularity and ego that he held high.

Now, he didn't know what to think anymore. It was as if Gabriella had helped him hold the glue together to the person that he really was. But without her around, it was all coming apart. He could feel it inside his body. The wall that had been coming apart was rebuilding itself quicker than he could explain. And, he didn't want that to happen.

He needed her.

He finally walked over to his gym locker and began putting his clothes back on, trying to make himself look presentable for all it was worth. He wasn't going to see Gabriella, anyway. What was the point?

Troy grabbed his duffel bag and backpack, heading out towards the parking lot outside. He was about to go to his vehicle when he stopped, spotting Gabriella talking to the quarterback by a red convertible. The quarterback was leaning against it and was holding Gabriella by her waist.

"What the hell?" he muttered, trying to get closer.

Of course he was going to eavesdrop.

"You know there's a party going on this weekend?" asked the quarterback, whose name was Lucas.

Gabriella merely shrugged, smiling as she tucked a curl behind her ear. "I didn't know that."

Lucas smiled at her, stroking her waist. "I think we should go together. It could be fun."

"I don't know," she muttered, looking away from Lucas.

"You just think about it, okay? I have to go."

Troy watched as Lucas suddenly kissed Gabriella's cheek before driving away in his red convertible. He saw Gabriella touch her cheek and smile shyly before storming over to her, completely pissed off.

This was definitely not happening. Gabriella was _his_ girl.

"Gabriella, what the hell are you doing?" demanded Troy, glaring at her.

Gabriella stared at Troy, surprised to see him. Granted, she hadn't spoken to him in over a week. It was mainly her fault, though. Her black eye had healed since the last time she had seen him, but her heart was still confused. She really liked Troy, but he was still with Elise. It was like he didn't have the guts to leave her.

But, she wasn't going to be a rebound.

"Troy, I can talk to whoever I want. If I want to date someone, I will. What's it to you, anyway?" asked Gabriella, shaking her head as she began walking away.

Troy followed her and stopped in front of her. He wasn't going to lose this fight. "Gabriella, you can't do this."

Gabriella scoffed in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Troy, you don't own me. Plus, you have Elise!"

That stopped him. She was right. He didn't own her. She wasn't his, so what was he even thinking? What was even going on with him? He had a girlfriend and he had it all in life. But, he was running around trying to chase this girl. This beautiful, amazing, kind, and stunning woman that was changing his life. This wasn't like him at all, but he really didn't care.

Gabriella stared up at him, trying so hard not to get lost in his gorgeous blue eyes. She had to stand her ground. "Troy, I'm not going to wait around for you forever. I have a life and I need to live it the way it should be lived. But, it's up to you if you want to be in that life."

Troy watched her walk home, completely mesmerized. Once again, she had stunned him with her words and her knowledge. But, she was right. He needed to figure out what he wanted. He couldn't keep living life like this.

What did he want?

* * *

Troy couldn't sleep.

Since he had gotten home, he had been thinking. He had been thinking about Gabriella and what she had said. She had every right to say it. She wasn't going to wait around forever and he didn't blame her. He didn't want to play with her feelings, if there were any.

Did he have feelings for her? Did he like her?

He had no idea what his body was doing. She consumed his thoughts, his heart always pounded hard when she was around, and he definitely felt other things when she was around too. Bottom line, she was revolving around his life.

It scared him, though.

He didn't even feel like this with Elise. He only wanted Elise for her body. But, now he only wanted Gabriella. He wanted Gabriella for everything; her thoughts, her kindness, her laughter, and her personality. Of course, he was dying to kiss her. He wanted to touch her, hug her, and be with her. He just wanted it all.

He stared at the ceiling from his bed and shook his head, chuckling lightly. "Why am I even thinking about this?"

He knew what he wanted. He knew all along. He knew the moment he had danced with her stupidly in Spanish class. There was something there and it was still there. And, she was waiting for him. She wanted him, too.

Right?

"I'll never know unless I do something about it," said Troy, sitting up in bed.

He pulled on a pair of comfortable clothes and his jacket, checking the clock. It wasn't that late, but it was late enough where his mother was asleep. So, he pulled open his window and went outside. He stopped, remembering that Gabriella's house wasn't too far from his house. He snapped his fingers when he remembered and began the short distance down the sidewalk.

He was smiling again. But, he was nervous.

What if she didn't let him in?

Surely she didn't hate him, right? There was something between them and she knew that. He knew that. It wasn't something that they could ignore forever. Gabriella didn't need to wait for him. She deserved better. She deserved the Troy that she saw, not the guy he had been for the past few years.

He finally arrived at her house and noticed that all the lights were off. She must be asleep, but he couldn't wait until tomorrow. He went into the backyard and glanced at the large tree near her balcony. This felt funny because he was no Romeo, but he had to see her. It just couldn't wait.

Once he was finally at her balcony, he peered inside. The curtains were drawn, but he could see her sleeping form in bed. She looked so peaceful. She looked beautiful, too. It made him smile. He didn't want to bother her, but he had to say this.

He knocked lightly on the door. "Gabriella?"

She didn't move.

He knocked again. "Gabriella?"

She stirred with furrowed brows, wondering who was disturbing her sleep. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, opening them warily to see a boy outside of her doors. It was Troy?

Troy watched her get out of bed and walk to the doors, opening them cautiously. "Can I come in?"

"Troy, do you know what time it is? What are you doing here?" she asked groggily, rubbing her messy head.

She looked so cute. "Gabriella, this can't wait." He walked into her bedroom, sighing. "I've been thinking a lot and you know what? Why are we even ignoring what's between us?"

"Excuse me?" asked Gabriella, crossing her arms over her chest. She was starting to get nervous.

Troy stared at her, slowly walking towards her. "Gabriella, I am not good with romance. I never thought about my life, but you have given me a lot of insight since we met. It's really opened my eyes, too."

Gabriella stayed silent, watching as he kept getting closer. She didn't move.

"I really don't know what to do about my feelings for you, Gabriella. But, I know I can figure it out along the way." He paused, finally inches apart from her body. He began stroking her cheek gently, causing shivers to run down her spine amazingly. "Gabriella, I like you."

Gabriella's heart started pounding hard, which was normal when she was around Troy. But, it was harder than before. She was still quiet, not sure what to say. She just let his fingers stroke her skin as they stared into each other's eyes.

"I really like you. I mean, it's indescribable. It may even be more, I don't know." Troy chuckled lightly. "But, I can't get you out of my mind. I don't want to be away from you, Gabriella. I don't want you dating other guys. I want you with me. I want to date you, Gabriella. I just. Want. You."

Gabriella's smile slowly began to form on her face as she nodded, putting her hands on Troy's muscular chest. She was speechless, for once. Troy liked her. He wanted to be with her. She felt the same, of course. But, he probably knew that already. In fact, she knew that he was aware of her feelings.

"I know how you feel, Troy. I hope you know I feel the same," murmured Gabriella, gripping his shirt.

Troy smiled and nodded. "I had a feeling."

She chewed on her bottom lip nervously, still smiling. "Stay with me?"

Troy caught his breath, but nodded. "Okay."

* * *

He was barely getting any sleep, but he didn't care. He was lying with the most beautiful girl in the world. He had just told her how he felt and now he was holding her in his arms as she slept peacefully. It felt good. She felt good.

He looked down at her and smiled, stroking her hair gently. Her breathing was soft and peaceful. Her hand was on his chest and her head was in the crook of his neck. They were like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together. They were perfect together.

There was still Elise to deal with, though. He needed to break up with her. It wasn't going to be pretty, but it had to happen. He didn't want Elise. He didn't want the life that he thought he deserved. He deserved the life that Gabriella saw for him. He deserved Gabriella, as did she deserve him.

He glanced at the clock to see it was nearing three in the morning. He didn't want to leave, but he didn't want her to get in trouble. He kissed her forehead softly and carefully replaced his body with a pillow. She couldn't even tell the difference as she snuggled into the pillow, sighing softly.

He gently stroked her hair as he stood up and put his jacket back on. "I'll see you tomorrow."

And then he left quietly, his thoughts still consumed with the girl that he never wanted to be without.

* * *

Troy was scared.

He was nervous.

Would she be mad that he left?

Would she think he had lied to her about his feelings last night?

He strode through the hallways, clutching the straps of his backpack. Gabriella was in his sights. She was standing at her locker, rifling through a few papers in her binder. He had to stop because she looked so beautiful today. There was something extra bright about her appearance. She was wearing a jean skirt with a ruffled tank top and a pair of black flats. Her hair was down in loose curls and it just made him want to touch her hair and run his fingers through it.

Troy rolled his eyes as he discreetly adjusted his pants. "Damn it."

The things she did to him.

He walked up to her and smiled, still nervous. "Gabriella, hey! Look, I left last night because I didn't want you to get in trouble or anything with your mother. I respect you and her, even though I haven't met her. I would never violate you on purpose or on accident."

Gabriella began to giggle as she turned to him. "Troy, calm down. I know you aren't like that and I completely respect you for what you did." She paused and chewed on her bottom lip, getting closer to him. "It makes me like you even more."

Troy was surprised she had gotten close to him, especially in public. They were so close to each other that he was sure she could hear his frantic heartbeat. He licked his lips as he stared at her. "Well, that's good. My feelings for you keep getting stronger every time I think about you."

She blushed and looked down. Troy was only talking to her, but she was making her body and heart do crazy things. "Good. So, how are you?"

"Good, good. How are you?" asked Troy, gently stroking his fingers down her arm.

Troy's touch gave her goose bumps. "I'm doing..." She looked up at him and stared into his blue eyes. God, they were beautiful. "Yes."

He chuckled and shook his head. "You're so cute."

Gabriella suddenly looked around, noticing that a few people were watching them with curiosity. She took a couple of steps back, suddenly wary. "So, how are things with you and Elise?"

Troy furrowed his brows, confused at the subject change and the greater space that had appeared between them. He sighed softly and got closer to her. "Look, don't worry about her. I'm going to break up with her today. Gabriella, I'd never lie to you."

The bell suddenly rang, signaling the beginning of the first period. Troy smiled at Gabriella and took her books. "Time for Spanish. I promise not to dance with you."

Gabriella giggled and walked with him to class, though she was still wary about his actions toward breaking up with Elise and his actions toward being serious with her.

She just hoped they were true.

* * *

The school had been covered from head to toe that entire week with Wildcat banners, red and white posters, and basketball flyers promoting the team and the members. Gabriella had passed through the hallways multiple times and had seen Troy's picture plastered all over the place. It made her smile.

He made her smile.

For the past few days, they had been spending a load of time together. Troy had been avoiding Elise like the black plague and it was starting to cause a rift in the entire school population. People were talking and they were talking about Gabriella. They were making up rumors about her and she didn't like them.

She was getting worried, too. Troy had not broken up with Elise yet. He was avoiding her, but that wasn't really helping their relationship. If it even was a relationship, though. They hadn't even kissed. They just talked to each other and held hands. It was as if they were friends.

But, he had invited her to the basketball game tonight. She had accepted, too. She wanted to support him in the stands and it was the first basketball game, too. She was eager to see him perform out there.

She could hear the crowd as she walked towards the gym doors wearing a Wildcat shirt and blue jean shorts. Her hair was in simple curls, but she was showing school spirit. She was even bold enough to write Troy's jersey number on her cheeks. She wasn't sure how people would react, but she had to trust Troy.

Right?

She entered the gym and winced at the loudness of the screams and cheers as the cheerleaders performed a routine. She looked around, aware that a few students were staring at her already. A few were even whispering about Troy's number being on her face.

"Don't worry about them," she murmured.

Gabriella noticed the basketball team sitting in their seats and grinned as Troy noticed her. He winked at her with an adorable smile before looking down, his smile staying on his face. She blushed and found an empty seat on the stands where she could still see Troy's face clearly.

By the next few minutes, the game had started. Gabriella was trying her hardest to understand it all, too. But, she kept her eyes trained on Troy's physique and how he played. He would dribble the ball on the court, show off some kind of number to the other players, and then pass the ball to someone else. Once he got the ball back, he would hang on to the net as the ball soared through the hoop.

The crowd cheered at every score, even Gabriella. She stood up every time Troy made a basket, making sure to cheer the loudest for him. He would notice her cheering and would wink at her again as he ran down the court. She really didn't care that people noticed. She didn't even care that Elise was glaring at her the entire time.

She liked this boy and she did not care one bit what people thought. This was her life and she would live it how she wanted.

"He is so hot."

Gabriella sat back down, hearing a few girls murmur behind her. She wasn't much of an eavesdropper, but she was eager to know what they had to say about Troy.

"I heard he is cheating on Elise with that new girl," said one girl.

The other girl scoffed. "Oh, please. He's such a dog. We all knew he was the type to cheat."

"But, he is still hot."

Gabriella didn't really want to hear anymore so she stood up and tried to act nonchalant as she walked towards the bathroom. She stood in front of the sink and sighed heavily, running her fingers through her hair. She needed to calm down. Why was she freaking out about Troy and their "relationship"?

"He's going to break up with her. But, that would make me the rebound," she mumbled to herself. "God, I am so stupid. What am I even doing?"

"Yes. What _are _you doing?" Gabriella turned around to see Elise and a few cheerleaders behind her.

"Elise."

Elise began walked towards her, glaring at her with an icy stare. "Did you not get the message when I punched you in your ugly face?" She gripped Gabriella's shoulders and tossed her to the ground. "Stay away from my boyfriend!"

Gabriella had no time to think. She felt somebody grab her hair and punch her face. She could taste the immediate blood in her mouth and cried out in pain, trying her best to scream for help. They were practically torturing her by kicking her in her stomach and hitting her face.

They were even stripping off her clothes and viciously wiping away Troy's number from her cheeks. It was sure to leave red marks.

"Stop it!" shouted Gabriella, sobbing as they continued to beat her on the floor.

This wasn't supposed to be happening. How could human beings beat another human being for no reason? Gabriella had done nothing wrong. She was allowed to talk to Troy, right? Elise was crazy that was for sure!

But, she didn't stop. Her and her little cheerleaders continued beating her until they had to return to the court.

Gabriella stayed on the ground, naked and beaten as they tossed her clothes in the toilet. She was alone.

She was broken.

* * *

Troy stayed seated on the bleachers, checking his watch. The game had ended nearly thirty minutes ago and the gym was completely empty. Even the janitor had finished cleaning up. He had been waiting for quite some time for Gabriella, but he hadn't seen her since the second half of the game. He was beginning to get worried.

"Troy." Elise walked up to Troy with a smirk, touching his bicep. "We're going to miss the party if you don't hurry up."

He sighed heavily and brushed her hand away. "Elise, stop it. You know we are over."

She scoffed lightly and humorously. "I'm sorry, but I don't recall you breaking up with me. I didn't even give you permission."

"_Permission_?!" Troy laughed dryly. "Elise, I don't need your permission to break up with you. That's exactly what I am doing. You know, I shouldn't have waited to do this. I should have broken up with you the moment I met Gabriella."

"Gabriella?!" Elise glared at him. "You want _her_?"

"Yes. I don't even know why I was with you in the first place," he sighed, shaking his head.

Elise suddenly gave him a nasty smirk. "If you want Gabriella so bad, then go get her." She pointed to the bathrooms before leaving the gym.

Troy furrowed his brows and walked toward the girl's bathroom. He knocked on the door cautiously. "Gabriella? Are you in there?"

He heard no answer.

He warily opened the door and only heard the echo of the door squeaking. It was pretty eerie, but he needed to find Gabriella. His gut told him that something was wrong. He looked around until he saw a pair of bare feet. He furrowed his brows and went around the corner, dropping his duffel bag at the sight he saw.

Gabriella was lying against the stalls with her knees up to her chest and her cheek resting on her hands. She was silent, but her cheeks were red and stained with tears. She had bruises on her body, cuts on her skin, and tangles in her hair. She was a complete mess.

"Oh my God," murmured Troy, pulling out his school sweatshirt and placing it gently over her body. He slipped his duffel bag over his shoulder and cradled Gabriella to his chest, kissing her forehead gently.

"I'm right here. I'm right here," he kept whispering as he cared for the girl that had stolen his heart.


	6. Chapter 5

_Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_The Great Beyond_

_Chapter Five_

_That was one of the few moments where I thought I was going to lose her. She just seemed so…broken. _

_Don't be scared, though! I took care of her and I made sure that she was okay._

_You know why?_

_Because I loved her._

* * *

Troy was popular.

He had been to parties and he had met many people. Meeting these people caused him to try new things.

He had tried smoking and he hated it.

He had done body shots off of breasts before.

He had sex for the first time at the age of fourteen. With a senior.

All of those things had been superficial. That was the Troy that had enjoyed having sex at every party, drinking hard liquor, and even drinking a keg through a funnel. All of that was before he had met this beautiful raven haired girl in Spanish. This was before he had danced with her stupidly and felt a connection. It was before he had fallen hard.

This was something he had never done before.

He was sitting beside a porcelain tub that was filled with soap bubbles and a naked Gabriella. She had a few bruises on her body and minor scratches on her skin. Her hair was washed and put up in a wet bun, free of tangles.

Troy was surprised that Gabriella allowed him in here. He had brought her to her own house and she had said she wanted to take a bath so she wouldn't feel beaten and dirty. Troy was going to leave her by herself as a form of respect, but she had insisted that he stay and help her get clean.

So, here he was slowly moving a soapy loofah down her tan back. Troy had to try his hardest to stay respectful, especially with his hormones that were begging to be let loose. He had seen Gabriella take off his jacket and, even despite her injuries, she had looked incredibly gorgeous.

But, he wanted to respect her.

"Gabriella?"

She hummed lightly, staring at the bubbles.

"Why are you letting me do this?" he asked cautiously, running the loofah slowly down her arm.

She didn't even have to think about it. "I trust you, Troy."

"That's it?" The loofah was moving closer to her hand and slipping out of Troy's fingers.

Gabriella watched the loofah drop into the water and immediately laced her fingers with his. "I just do. We've gotten to know each other and...we like each other. I trust you to take care of me and to protect me. You've done so much already."

He looked at her and smiled softly. "I'll always protect you. Come on."

He helped her stand up and wrapped her body around a plush towel. She got out of the tub, but stayed close to Troy. They stared at each other for a moment before Troy began to glance down at her injuries. She warily began to hide them with the towel.

Troy furrowed his brows. "What is it?"

"I don't want you to see my bruises. They just..." Gabriella shook her head, not even sure how to describe it.

"You didn't deserve to get these bruises, okay? Elise is crazy and she had no right to do that to you." He paused. "But, you are strong. You are still standing and I love that about you."

Gabriella stared at him, perplexed and stunned. She chewed on her bottom lip. "Love?"

"What?" Oh, crap.

"You...you said you love...me?" She giggled nervously, looking away from his gaze.

Troy suddenly smiled and put his hands on her waist, licking his lips. "I won't lie to you, Gabriella. Since we met each other, I really think I have slowly been falling in love with you. There's just something about you that makes me smile and makes me see the real me. You make me a better person. I can't thank you enough for that."

"Well..." Gabriella wasn't sure what to say. "You're welcome?"

Troy chuckled and placed his hands on her cheeks. He simply stared at her and noted how beautiful she looked. Her eyes were shining brightly and she had a nervous appeal to her at the moment that made her lips quiver. He stared at her mouth.

"I'm going to kiss you now," he whispered.

Gabriella didn't say anything. She just looked at him and his lips, nodding to give him permission. No other words were said as their lips met in a soft embrace. It was like static electricity as the powerful energy raced through their bodies. They couldn't stop and they didn't want to. They simply held on to each other as they kissed each other senselessly.

Without giving it a second thought, Troy picked her up and wrapped her legs around his body. He grasped her thighs as he carried her out of the bathroom, blindly walking backward towards her bedroom. They both laughed together as Troy bumped into a wall.

"Damn," he muttered against her lips.

He finally found her bedroom and walked into the darkness, the moonlight outside illuminating their bodies as it slowly rose in the darkening sky. Troy turned around and collapsed with Gabriella on the bed, their lips still attached.

Gabriella's hands ran through Troy's hair, messing up his fauxhawk. He didn't care, though. Neither did her. Their bodies were on fire as their kisses electrified their senses and their nerves. Their hormones were going crazy as their bodies touched each other in certain places that made them want each other so much more.

Troy caressed her thigh as he began trailing his lips down her face and to her neck, tenderly nipping at her skin. Her skin felt and tasted incredible. Her legs were so smooth as he caressed them gently. He could hear her breathing as it heightened, becoming heavier and hotter. It made his body go nuts and he was positive that she could feel it.

Gabriella bit her bottom lip as her hands began trailing down his back. She gripped the bottom of his shirt and began tugging at it. Troy, understanding her signal, sat up with a grin and removed his shirt. Gabriella admired his abs and muscles.

"Oh, my." Her fingers trailed over his muscles, eliciting a soft groan from Troy.

Their lips connected once again as their bodies rubbed against each other. They didn't want to stop. There was a connection between them and they could barely understand, but they wanted to keep it. They wanted to always know it.

Keeping his lips on Gabriella's, Troy's fingers began to fumble with his jeans as he began pulling them down his legs. He laughed with Gabriella as he kicked his feet back and forth until his pants finally landed on the floor.

"You're a mess," murmured Gabriella, touching his cheeks.

Troy smiled down at her, stroking her face gently. "You're amazing."

Gabriella smiled and rolled over with him on the bed, kissing all over his face before trailing her lips down his chest. Troy closed his eyes in pleasure as her lips continued kissing his body, ending near his happy trail as her fingers began to dance around the waistband of his boxers.

Troy opened his eyes warily and stroked her head, making her stop. "Gabriella, wait a minute."

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously, sitting up and looking at him with furrowed brows.

Troy sat up on his elbows and sighed reluctantly. He really didn't want to stop this. "Are you sure? I mean, where are we going with this?"

Gabriella simply smiled and took off her towel slowly, revealing her naked body. "Troy, it's okay. I know what I want. And, I want you."

He stared at her body with wide eyes, a smile slowly growing on his face. He chewed on his bottom lip quickly. "You're making it really hard for me to respect you when you look like this."

She giggled and hovered over him, placing her lips over his. Troy's hands gripped her waist as he sat up with her on the bed, her legs wrapping around his waist. She allowed Troy's hands to roam around her body, feeling every inch of her.

Troy shook his head and pulled back, reaching over to grab his wallet from his jeans. "I can't wait anymore." He pulled out a gold package.

Gabriella furrowed her brows. "You carry a condom in your wallet?"

He glanced at her, immediately noticing her expression. "Hey, it's not for anybody else. It's really a guy thing, though. But, I want us to do this right. I don't want any mistakes to happen."

She nodded and bit her bottom lip nervously, glancing down. "Troy?"

"What?" He got closer to her and began kissing her cheek.

"I'm a virgin."

Troy looked at her and sighed softly. "Gabriella, we don't have to do this. I don't want to force you into anything, okay? Don't do this for me."

"I'm not," said Gabriella, looking at him. They both laid down on the bed, holding each other. "I want you. Ever since we got close in class, I've always wanted you. We have something that we can't deny. I don't want to hold back."

He smiled and nodded, taking off his boxers and slipping the condom on. "Never."

* * *

Troy held Gabriella in his arms nearly two hours and three rounds later. It was completely unexpected for them to keep having sex that many times, but they didn't know how to stop. After they did it the first time, they wanted to do it again. And again.

The moonlight was shining on their bodies as they lay under the covers, still naked. Troy's arm was around Gabriella's body as she lay against his body, her head in the crook of his neck. He noticed she was trembling a bit.

"Are you okay?" he murmured.

Gabriella nodded and sighed softly. "This is what it feels like to not be a virgin."

Troy chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. For the record, you were really good. Great, even!" He waved his free hand in the air for dramatic effect.

Gabriella giggled at his gesture. "No way."

He hovered over her and grinned, keeping her close to his body. "Yes. You were. You were amazing. You felt amazing. You're amazing."

He paused, staring at her. Her brown eyes were sparkling as he gazed into them. Her smile was gracing her features beautifully, making her skin and her entire body light up. She simply looked beautiful. He always thought she was beautiful. Ever since he saw her sitting next to his seat in Spanish, he thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

"I love you," confessed Troy.

Gabriella stared at him and nodded quickly. "I love you, too."

* * *

Troy was extra happy that day.

Maybe it was because he had a good breakfast.

Maybe it was because he was looking good today.

Or, it could be because he was in love.

It added an extra kick to his step and people noticed. They stared and they whispered, but he didn't care. He was happy and he was in love. He was in love with a beautiful girl. She was on his mind all day and all night. He couldn't get last night out of his mind, either. It was so amazing and he wanted to do it all over again.

He walked toward her locker that morning with a grin. "Hey, you."

She didn't respond. She just stopped what she was doing and kept her eyes averted from his. "Hi."

Troy licked his lips and leaned against her neighbor locker. "So, how are you? I've been thinking about last night and I..."

He barely had time to finish his sentence as Gabriella suddenly ran off down the hallway, tears streaming down her cheeks. He turned around swiftly, watching her push passed others in the hallway.

He immediately followed her, knowing she was going to the roof. He pushed open the doors after her and watched as she began pacing back and forth. She knew good and well that he had followed her.

She was confused.

Last night had been amazing, but then he had said those three words. Had she meant what she said, too? She felt incredible things for Troy. She knew that really well. But, she was confused. She was young and still in high school.

But, her feelings for him were so strong.

"Gabriella, what happened back there?" asked Troy. "Did I do something wrong last night?"

Gabriella turned to him, still crying. "No. You were amazing last night, Troy. I'm just so confused! I mean, you just broke up with Elise and then we sleep together. I'm practically a rebound! But, last night was so amazing and I wanted it to last forever. You made me feel so special, but you've done it with Elise before! And, then you tell me you love me? I mean, didn't you love Elise? How could you love me? I mean, I meant what I said last night. I do love you. I have these feelings for you and I just love you, okay?"

Troy walked towards her slowly, sensing that her rambling was over. "First of all, you are not a rebound. You are far from it. You are so much more to me, Gabriella. Second of all, it is true that I have had sex with Elise. But, it meant nothing. Our night together meant everything. I wanted to make you feel special because you deserve it. Last, I didn't love Elise. I never did. But, I love you. I can feel it in my heart and soul."

He smiled as he finally reached her, placing his hands on her waist. "I'm glad that you love me too, though."

Gabriella sighed and shook her head, touching his chest. "Troy, I'm sorry. I'm just...I'm just scared to lose my heart."

Troy kissed her forehead gently and held her close, feeling her steady heartbeat. "I promise I'll always protect it."

To Troy, he had been keeping that promise since the day he met her.


	7. Chapter 6

_Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_The Great Beyond_

_Chapter Six_

_Back then, things were really difficult when it came to high school. You'll come to know that._

_But, Gabriella and I always managed to make it through even the worst. You still have to be careful with relationships in high school._

_I'm always going to protect her, no matter what. It doesn't mean that she doesn't have a backbone in her, though._

_You just wait._

* * *

For the next couple of days, things between Troy and Gabriella started to go pretty well. They started hanging out more before, during, and after school. Since their first kiss and their first time together, they couldn't seem to stop. Troy loved holding Gabriella and kissing her. Gabriella loved touching his chest and being close to him. He really knew what he was doing, too. It didn't really bother her that he had had sex before he met her. He made her feel special, like every time was the first time for them.

Elise was still a problem, though. She couldn't seem to let go of the break up and the fact that Troy was dating Gabriella. She would try all that she could to sabotage their relationship, too. In Spanish, she would do all she could to get Troy's attention or to snag him as a partner. In the hallway, she would make one of the cheerleaders walk up to Troy and flirt with him. None of her plans worked, though. Every time, Troy would be hung up on Gabriella or kissing her. It was so aggravating.

Today was Friday. It was game day for the basketball team and Troy's face was plastered all over the school, too. Gabriella didn't mind it, though. She loved looking at his face. He was incredibly gorgeous and his eyes were even mesmerizing on paper. Sometimes, she would stop in the hallway and just stare at his eyes and his smile on the flyer.

She was doing that right now when Troy walked up to her, clearly amused at her current stance. He was standing next to her, seeing that she didn't even notice the real version of himself had appeared. He crossed his arms over his chest and simply watched her with a humorous smirk.

Troy leaned towards her ear. "Should I be jealous of a piece of paper?"

Gabriella jumped and looked at him, blushing. "Oh! You scared me."

He chuckled and glanced at the paper. "He's not that great looking. I don't know what you see in him."

"Hmm...well, he has these eyes." She looked at the paper again. "There's just something about those eyes."

Troy watched as she pretended to bat her eyes at the flyer. He grinned and grabbed her waist, spinning her around so she was flush against his body. "Well, well. I guess I'm going to have to keep you hooked to my belt buckle."

"Really? A belt buckle? I don't really like a belt on you," said Gabriella, a smirk slowly growing on her face.

"Oh? What do you like on me?" asked Troy, slowly catching on to what she was saying.

Gabriella gripped his shirt lapel from his polo and slowly looked him up and down. "Well, I do like my man in a nice outfit for game day. But, I prefer you wearing a whole lot less."

Troy pretended to gasp in shock. "Gabriella, are you being naughty at school?"

"Maybe. We don't have class yet, so why don't we go somewhere?" she suggested.

Troy bit his bottom lip with a smile. Gabriella only showed her sexy side when she was with him and he never got tired of it. He loved it when she showed it off for him. "Well, I know this one place on the roof. It might be a little cool and..."

The bell suddenly rang, signaling for students to proceed to their final class of the day. Troy groaned and buried his face in her neck, taking in her vanilla scent. "Damn it."

Gabriella sighed, still smiling. "Oh, well. Maybe later. Tomorrow, maybe."

"Tomorrow?" Troy's head pulled up in surprise at her suggestion. He quickly shook it. "No way. You can't leave me like this all day."

"I'm not that mean," she said, kissing his cheek before leaving the hallway.

Troy watched her and chuckled, discreetly adjusting his pants. "God, I love her."

* * *

It was time for the big game. Students began trickling down the hallway and storming into the gym dressed in their Wildcat apparel and spirit. They were carrying pom poms, banners, flags, and blow horns. The cheerleaders began warming up the audience by performing routines and the basketball team was out on the floor practicing for the game.

The entire school was dominating with Wildcat pride.

Gabriella walked into the gym after changing into her Wildcat outfit. She wore one of Troy's Wildcat t-shirts tied up at the end with a hairbow and a pair of white skinny jeans. She wore a pair of red Converse with Troy's basketball number on both sides and her hair was in a long ponytail. She felt so supportive of Troy that she was practically glowing.

She maneuvered through the crowd, attempting to find the right seat so she could see Troy clearly when he played. Before she was able to reach the bleachers, she felt her body be pulled to the side as she went underneath the bleachers.

"Woah!" She giggled when she felt Troy's arms wrap around her body. She touched his shoulders. "Hello."

Troy smiled at her. "You look incredible. I love that you have my number on your shoes."

"Me too," she said, glancing down at them.

Troy got closer, nipping at her neck. "I love that you are wearing my shirt even more."

Gabriella giggled at the feel of his lips, tilting her head to the side to give him more leverage. "Troy, come on. You have a game to play."

"I'll play with you," he teased. "You left me in that hallway wanting you so badly."

"It just makes everything more fun for us."

Troy looked at her and shook his head. He then smiled. "I love you."

Gabriella smiled, running her fingers gently through his hair. "I love you, too."

Suddenly, their lips were brought together in a fierce kiss. Their hands traveled over smooth skin and tight muscles as Troy backed Gabriella against the wall, moving his hands down to her bottom as he gripped it gently.

Gabriella smiled as he began to kiss her neck. "Someone is _really _excited."

"I want to continue what we started," murmured Troy, nipping at her skin.

"No, no, no." Gabriella listened as the coach blew his whistle, signaling for the team to huddle around him for the play. "You need to get out there."

Troy looked at her with a mock glare, poking her nose. "Fine. You owe me, though."

Gabriella simply smiled and kissed his cheek. "Good luck, Wildcat."

"Wildcat," repeated Troy, smirking. "I like that nickname."

Gabriella hid a laugh as she watched Troy adjust his shorts before jogging out onto the court. She waited a few minutes before blending into the crowd on the bleachers, choosing a seat that was very close to Troy. She watched as the coach discussed the play with the boys, but her eyes stayed focused on Troy. He looked really serious as he nodded and provided feedback about the play. He looked so dedicated. It made Gabriella feel proud to be his girlfriend.

Elise was by the sidelines as she glanced over at Gabriella, who wouldn't stop looking at Troy. She sneered at her and rolled her eyes. "Tramp."

She was getting tired of this little game that Troy was playing. It was funny before, but now it was getting out of hand. She had seen them sneak over to the bleachers, so she was pretty positive that they had already had sex. She didn't know how Troy did it, though. They had the best sex and he thought he could have better sex with that girl? What a load of crap!

The coach said a chant with the boys as the buzzer sounded before the announcer began to speak. The boys got into their position with Troy facing off with the other captain. He glanced over at Gabriella in the stands, who was clapping and cheering for him. He sent her a wink and then the game began.

* * *

Gabriella watched throughout the game, ultimately clasping her hands together in nervousness and fear as the clock began to run out with the game tied up. She watched as Troy began to lose breath with sweat running down his skin. Too many times she had seen him bend over and catch his breath during the game. But each time he came back up, he would send her a look to let her know he was okay. That brought her a little bit of relief.

She watched as Troy glanced at the five seconds on the clock before making a few difficult turns and jumping up, tossing the basketball through the air. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the ball soared in the air, the buzzer sounding loudly. The ball rolled around on the rim before finally sinking through the net.

Troy threw his hands in the air as the entire gym cheered loudly. Students began running down the bleachers as they congratulated the team and Troy on the win. Gabriella tried her best to get through the students so she could get to Troy. She could hear his voice so she knew she was almost there. Just as she was about to grab his hand, she stopped in pure shock.

Elise and Troy were kissing.

Troy wasn't even pulling away. He was holding her in pure ecstasy as they kissed each other in front of every student at East High. Gabriella simply shook her head and ran off into the hallway, leaving the loudness and awkwardness of the gym. She stopped at the lockers and rubbed her forehead, her entire body feeling hot and cold at the same time. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest. Tears threatened to fill her eyes as her mind swirled with thoughts.

Why would Troy do this?

Why would he cheat on her with Elise, of all people?

No. Why would he cheat on her, period?

"Well, well, well. Look who it is," said a blonde cheerleader, walking up to Gabriella with the rest of the squad. "Elise, look who we found."

Elise appeared through the group, smirking at her with her arms crossed over her chest. "I guess you saw, huh?"

Gabriella shook her head, averting her gaze from the head cheerleader. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh, really? I remember it perfectly." Elise looked away with a small smile. "Well, I just walked up to him and kissed him on his beautiful lips. He held me tightly and kissed me back." She breathed through her teeth and giggled. "So nice!"

Gabriella's lip trembled as the image appeared in her head. She felt incredibly stupid.

"Oh. She's crying," said Elise, faking a pout as she walked up to her. She then sneered at her. "I guess the sex wasn't enough for him, huh? You can't top me, bitch. I will always be his number one."

Elise suddenly shoved her against the lockers. "I told you to leave him alone from the very beginning. You just don't listen. I'm so sick of you being around here. Nobody wants you here. Not even Troy."

Gabriella cowered back as she tried her hardest to fight back her tears and ultimately failing. She grunted as she was pushed against the lockers again, this time much harder. This was how it was going to be from now on. She was going to be the loner and nobody would love her. Not even Troy.

"Hey! Get away from her!" shouted Troy, storming down the hallway and pushing past the cheerleaders. He gently pulled Gabriella to him as he glared at Elise. "I told you before Elise. We are over. I don't know what you were thinking back in the gym, but that was really low. Just stop."

Troy didn't give her a chance to talk. He simply took Gabriella into the gym, which was now deserted of people. He went into the locker room and set her down on the bench in front of his locker. He sat beside her and held her cheek. "Are you okay?"

Gabriella moved away from him and walked towards the exit, keeping quiet. She had no words to say to him. She was too confused and mad.

Troy quickly stopped her by gently grabbing her arm. "Hey, what's wrong? Did I do something?"

She looked at him, scoffing. "Did you do something? Troy, you kissed Elise! I saw everything! How could you do that to me?!"

He sighed and ran a rough hand through his hair, shaking his head. "Gabriella, I wasn't thinking. I thought it was you that was kissing me, but I should have known better. Your kisses are not like hers. Yours are better."

"Oh, is that supposed to make things better?" asked Gabriella sarcastically.

He was no good at this. He sighed heavily. "Gabriella, come on. You know I love you. I would never, _ever _cheat on you. You know me better than that. We know each other better than that."

Gabriella just looked at him, sighing and rolling her eyes. "Troy, it really hurt. I was going to congratulate you and then I saw you kissing her."

"_She _kissed _me_. I would never kiss her, Gabriella. I only want to kiss you," he said, cupping her face graciously as he placed his lips over her.

Gabriella couldn't help herself. She gripped Troy's jersey and kissed him back, enjoying the feel of his hands moving down her body and to her bottom, gripping it like he did before. He backed her up against the lockers as he moved his lips down to her neck, nipping at the skin. She immediately lifted his jersey over his head, touching his chest and abs over and over again.

Troy could hardly take it. He turned over so he was back against the lockers, gripping the bottom of her shirt and lifting it over her head. He pulled down her black bra strap and kissed her shoulder and collarbone, enjoying it way too much as she tilted her head back while whispering his name.

"Troy..."

He looked at her, their heavy breaths matching and their eyes filled with dark passion and love. "My mom isn't going to be home this weekend. Can you stay with me?"

Gabriella licked her lips, her heart pounding. "Really? After what happened?"

He sighed softly, stroking her cheek. "Baby, I love you. I would never break your heart. All I want to do is protect it. You have to believe me. You know me better than anyone."

"I do," she smiled and nodded. "I'll stay with you. Where will I sleep?"

"With me, of course. My bed is pretty big," he smirked, nipping at her lips.

"I think I could manage," said Gabriella, giggling as they began to kiss once again.


	8. Chapter 7

_Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_The Great Beyond_

_Chapter Seven_

_I was in love with her. I still am. _

_I never wanted to leave her side. It was like my heart was physically connected to hers. Sometimes, I thought about how we fit together like two puzzle pieces._

_It's a shame some of those pieces get lost, though._

_You know what I mean?_

* * *

_Pop!_

_Pop!_

_Pop!_

_Ding! Ding! Ding!_

Troy grabbed a big bowl from his cabinets and poured the buttery popcorn into it before juggling two sodas under his arms. He used his elbow to turn off the kitchen lights and walked into the darkness of the living room. He stopped and smirked with amusement as the television light glowed on his gorgeous girlfriend as she watched a medical show on Netflix. She looked so cute. With his parents being gone, they were free to do what they wanted to do. They laid out some comforters and a few pillows, creating the perfect "sleepover". When they had arrived at his house, they had immediately went into his bedroom to make love after their constant teasing that day during school. She was wearing his basketball jersey and nothing else. Honestly, she never looked hotter. He wanted her to wear his jersey all the time.

He sat down next to her and handed her a soda, setting the popcorn bowl in front of them. "Hey."

"Hi." Gabriella furrowed her brows at the screen. "I don't get this show."

He glanced at the show and chuckled lightly. "What don't you get? It's a medical show."

"I know that." She gestured to the show. "I just don't get why that doctor is so mean to his patients. His sarcasm is just rude. It's like he doesn't care about his patients."

Troy chuckled and shook his head. "Dr. House cares about his patients, but he is stubborn."

"Like you," she murmured, hiding her smile.

"Hey," Troy poked her side, making her giggle at the sensation. He got closer to her. "Did I ever tell you how sexy you look in my jersey?"

"A few times," she said. She looked at him, completely clad in his gym shorts. His chest and abs were completely ripped. "Did I ever tell you how sexy you look with your shirt off?"

"About a few hundred times," he laughed.

Gabriella took a bite of popcorn and watched the television, trying to hide her smirk as Troy began to kiss the skin below her earlobe. His hand came around to caress the side of her cheek as his lips traveled down to her neck.

"I thought we were watching Netflix tonight," she whispered, starting to become aroused by his touch and his lips.

He hummed against her skin. "I think I'm more entertaining than Netflix."

She turned to face him and smirked. "I don't know about that." She popped another popcorn in her mouth.

Troy scoffed lightly with a grin. "Oh, yeah?" He grabbed some popcorn and tossed it at her face. "Take that!"

Gabriella giggled and threw popcorn at him. Suddenly, it turned into a full blown popcorn fight as they ran around the living room with popcorn flying everywhere. She hid behind the couch, holding a handful of popcorn while Troy held popcorn in his fists as he peered around the corner of the entryway.

"Do you surrender?" asked Troy, smiling. He sure did love having fun with her.

Gabriella bit her bottom lip. "Maybe. Come out. I'll wave the white flag."

"How can I trust you?" he asked curiously with humor.

"You love me." She giggled lightly.

Troy chuckled and nodded. "Okay. One…"

"Two…"

"Three!"

They both jumped out with Gabriella throwing her popcorn at Troy with a hearty laugh. She immediately made her way towards the stairs so she could have a better hiding spot. However, she squealed as a pair of strong arms went around her. She laughed uncontrollably as Troy took her back into the living room and collapsed on the pile of blankets.

He hovered over her with a big smile on his face as the next episode started on Netflix. "That wasn't very nice."

Gabriella wrapped her legs around his waist and held his face gently with her hands. "I'm very nice to you, Troy Bolton." She sighed softly when Troy's lips touched her neck. "Do you still trust me?"

"Definitely," he murmured against her skin, nipping at it.

"Do you still love me?"

Troy looked at her and nodded, stroking her cheek. "Hell yes. I'll always love you. You're the love of my life, Gabriella Montez."

She exhaled heavily. "Troy Alexander Bolton, make love to me."

"With pleasure," he grinned, attacking her lips with such passion.

He immediately took off the jersey from her body, revealing her completely nude and beautiful body. He began kissing every inch of her skin as her feet worked around his waist to remove his shorts and boxers. He quickly kicked them off of his feet, leaving both of their bodies completely nude and flush against each other.

Troy's breathing became heavy as he lifted up, licking his lips. "We need protection. I have to go to my room to get it."

Gabriella scoffed and closed her eyes with exasperation and impatience. "Fine. Hurry up."

"So demanding." He kissed her lips and quickly ran to his bedroom.

Gabriella glanced up at the television, watching the doctors assist with a patient who was having a seizure. Troy finally came back and immediately slipped the condom on, hovering back over Gabriella's body. He lifted up her body so her skin was back against his.

She laughed. "Eager?"

"Oh, yeah." Troy grinned and kissed her, biting her bottom lip as he prepared for their bodies to join together.

Suddenly, there was a crash.

He stopped and held Gabriella protectively, looking over his shoulder. "What was that?"

She shook her head and placed her hands on his shoulders. "I don't know. Was that outside?"

"It sounded like it," he murmured.

Gabriella quickly placed one of the covers over their bodies, feeling self-conscious. What if there was an intruder out there? What if his parents came home early? It'd be embarrassing for somebody besides Troy to see her like this.

Troy looked at her, still protecting her body. He stroked her cheek gently. "Don't worry. I'm right here."

She smiled and nodded. "I know. My perfect boyfriend."

"I wouldn't say I'm perfect," he chuckled, nuzzling her neck.

"Oh, yes you are." She ran her fingers through his hair, giggling as he nipped at a ticklish spot on her neck.

The door suddenly burst open, revealing Chad and a few other guys from the team shouting out loud in a drunken manner. "Hey, hey, hey!"

Gabriella screamed and covered her chest. Troy immediately shielded her body as he turned around to face Chad, making sure his waist was covered. He glared at Chad for his drunken stupidity. "Hey! Chad! Get the hell out of here!"

Chad glanced at Gabriella's frightened face and chuckled. "Oh, I see what's…what's goin' on here! Tappin' the new girl! Pretty sweet!"

Troy rolled his eyes. "Get out, Chad."

He listened as they continued to congratulate him on his "conquest" before slamming the door shut. He immediately got up and locked the door from the knob and the chain. He sighed heavily, completely annoyed. Yet, when he looked back at Gabriella and saw her sullen expression, his mood changed quickly to one of concern.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, walking back over to her.

Gabriella didn't meet his eyes. "You didn't really defend me back there."

"What do you mean?" He sat down in front of her and placed the other side of the covers around his waist.

"Chad congratulated you on hooking up with me. You just told him to leave, but you didn't really defend me. You didn't tell him that we are together or that what we have is…real." She paused and murmured, "If it is real."

Troy sighed and cupped her cheeks, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Hey. You're my girlfriend. I'm your boyfriend. I'll always defend you, babe." He looked into her eyes. "By the way, what we have is real. It's more real than anything. Just listen to my heart and know that it beats for you."

She smiled and nodded, nuzzling her nose to his. "I love you."

He grinned. "I love you, too. Now, where were we?"

Gabriella giggled as Troy laid her back down on the blankets. "Lead the way."

* * *

Troy woke up to the sound of the theme song from "House" the next morning. He opened one eye as he watched the opening credits fly by with different medical themes before suddenly realizing his arm was touching somebody else's skin. He looked down and saw her.

Gabriella was lying on her stomach with the blanket covering her from the waist down, just like him. His arm was over her back as he watched her breathing come out steadily as she dreamed sweetly. She looked so peaceful and so beautiful lying next to him. He almost found it hard to believe that she was human. She had to be an angel.

He kissed her head gently and carefully stood up, putting his boxers back on. He decided to wake her up with a surprise and went into the kitchen, looking through the cabinets until he finally found the pancake mix. He began to gather the ingredients and started mixing the pancake batter together in a big bowl.

He suddenly began to think as he stirred. He wouldn't mind making breakfast for her every morning. He wouldn't mind waking up to her every morning. Hell, he wouldn't mind sharing a bathroom with her. He loved her that much. He wanted her forever. His mind began whirling with ideas.

He felt a pair of hands on his stomach and grinned. "Mhm, good morning."

Gabriella grinned sleepily and kissed his back. "What are you doing, sexy?"

He cocked a brow at her sultry tone. "Making you breakfast."

"Mhm, I'm hungry for something else." Her hands slowly moved down to his abdomen until her fingers were inside his boxers.

Troy jumped at the contact and bit his bottom lip. "Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?"

"What can I say? You bring out my sexy side," she whispered.

Troy tossed the bowl and his utensils in the sink, turning around and picking up Gabriella by her bottom as her legs wrapped around his waist. He noticed that she had put on his jersey again. It only made him more aroused.

"You are coming with me, little missy."

* * *

Gabriella couldn't stay the entire weekend. His parents came home nearly four hours after their morning love session. She hated leaving because she had spent a wonderful night of paradise. Now, she was stuck at her house by herself.

She watched as her mother left the house, completely ignoring her own daughter. She sighed and waved. "Bye."

She cuddled up on the couch by herself and began flipping through channels. She wished Troy could be with her, but she didn't want to steal him away from his own family. It wouldn't be right. Then again, she hated being alone. She hated being away from him.

She glanced at one of the cabinets in the kitchen, tempted to open it and expose the trouble she could get into. But, she shook her head and resisted. She couldn't go back to that. Not now. Not ever. It would be the ultimate betrayal to her own body.

Thunder struck outside, making her jump. She looked outside, amazed to see that it had started to pour. The one thing she hated was a storm. It freaked out because of all the scary movies she had seen. It always made her think that some axe killer would murder her or something.

A bang sounded outside her house. She turned to the back patio door, seeing movement. Instinctively, she walked over to the patio door. She didn't know why she was walking to see what could be out there. It could be a killer or something. But, curiosity killed the cat.

She peered through the window, seeing rain and grayness. There wasn't anything out there.

She saw it.

A shadow.

Then…

_CRASH!_

Gabriella stumbled back and fell to the ground as glass crashed around her from the patio door. She landed on top of a pile of small shards, hitting her head against the edge of the loveseat armrest before blacking out and slipping into unconsciousness.

* * *

After a few hours of dealing with his loneliness after Gabriella left, he immediately pulled on a hoodie and decided to go see Gabriella. He knew she was afraid of thunderstorms and he felt the need to be there for her if she was scared. He slipped the hood on over his head and drove the short way to her house. He parked on the side of the curb, noticing that her mother was gone.

"Typical," he mumbled.

He raced toward the front door and knocked, feeling his body getting soaked from the rain. There was no answer at the door. Surely she was home. She would never go out in this weather. He knocked again and waited a few moments before going to the back of the house to try the patio door. Maybe she was in the living room.

He stopped in shock as he stared at the scene. The patio door was completely busted with shards outside and inside. He walked further until he finally saw Gabriella unconscious and surrounded by glass.

There was blood.

He raced over to her and cradled her in his arms. "Baby, wake up. Gabriella."

He took off his hoodie and covered it protectively over her body as he rushed back to his car and gently placed her in the passenger seat, buckling her up carefully. He got in the driver's seat and began the short journey to the hospital.

A tear fell from his cheek as he prayed to God that she was okay.

* * *

**Author's Note: Check out the latest post on my Instagram page (heathertodd23) for a little sneak peek surprise that will be on my Fanfiction page soon (;**


	9. Chapter 8

_Summary: He's popular. Egotistical. Troubled. One person, one girl, could break down all of his walls._

_Disclaimer: All characters, places, and references are purely affiliated to the High School Musical series. Everything you read is solely set for fictional and entertainment purposes._

* * *

_The Great Beyond_

_Chapter Eight_

_I was scared that I had lost her. Something wasn't right and I knew it immediately when I saw her on the ground._

_Don't be scared, though._

_She was okay in the end._

* * *

Once Troy arrived at the hospital with Gabriella, he waited as patiently as possible for her to be examined and stitched up. It took nearly an hour for the doctor to pluck out all the tiny shards in her skin. It took another thirty minutes to stitch up the larger cuts from the big glass. She had a few bruises on her skin, too. She was able to go home once she had been fixed up, so Troy brought her back to his house and stayed with her the entire night.

Monday finally rolled around and Gabriella had been acting strange since the incident. He hadn't seen much of her and he was scared. He had no idea what she was doing without him and he was worried that, with all of these attacks, she would do something dangerous. He knew she was scared and he wasn't sure what she was capable of.

That morning, Troy was on a mission. As he clutched his backpack straps, he headed straight for the one person he never wanted to speak to again. This time, he would make sure of it. He found her at her locker and immediately slammed his hand against the neighbor locker.

"Elise!" he exclaimed with a harsh tone.

She barely jumped as she glared at him. "What? Finally over that trash Montez?"

Troy pointed a finger at her. "Do not call her that. This is over. I know what you did last night."

"I really have no idea," she smirked lightly.

"The patio doors at Gabriella's house? They crashed into her house and she had to go to the hospital," said Troy, feeling exasperated. He never liked Elise's games.

Elise tapped her chin and nodded. "Oh, that's right. I threw a rock at her patio door and she just happened to be standing in front of it. Such a shame."

Troy growled inwardly. "Damn you, Elise! You need to stop this!"

"_You _need to stop being so stupid!" she shouted, causing a crowd to surround them. She poked him in the chest. "I don't even know who you are anymore."

Troy chuckled dryly. "Oh, please. You never knew me, Elise. You just wanted me because it would make you even more popular."

"So what?" Elise smirked at him. "You loved being with me because I gave you the best sex of your life."

Troy shook his head at her. "I faked it all, Elise."

The crowd ooh'ed at Troy's comment, causing Elise's face to flame bright red as she grew angry and embarrassed at Troy. A teacher suddenly came between the groups. "Break it up! What is going on here?"

Troy didn't answer. He simply headed to the one place where he knew he'd find Gabriella.

* * *

Gabriella struggled to keep her vision focused as she stared out at the mountains from the rooftop. She clutched the thick bottle in her hands and took a long swig, letting the hard fire stream down her throat. She coughed at the sensation and looked down, realizing she had finished the entire bottle already.

Things were getting messy. All she wanted was to be happy and start anew with Troy. Didn't she deserve that? She had been through enough in her life already. She was tired of being alone and, with her mother gone all the time, all she had was Troy.

Maybe she didn't deserve Troy. He was an amazing guy. He was an amazing lover. But, people didn't want them to be together. Why should they be together? But, she loved him. Couldn't people realize that? What was wrong with two people falling in love?

She clutched the bottle in her hands and looked down at the ground as she stood on the edge of the roof. It was a pretty far drop. She wondered if she would survive it. Probably not. But, she'd never know if she didn't try.

She lifted one foot, feeling her head swimming with the alcohol and her balance failing. She was going to fall. She could feel it.

A pair of strong arms caught her waist and pulled her back, causing her to stumble on to the ground with the person. She grunted at the impact, hearing the bottle roll away from her grip. She kept her eyes shut, feeling like she could just fall asleep on the hard ground.

"Gabriella! What the hell are you doing?! Are you completely stupid?" scolded Troy as he hovered over her body. He glanced at the bottle. "Have you been drinking?"

"I'm not little miss perfect anymore, Troy. I never was," she murmured. She opened her eyes and glanced at the edge of the roof. "I wanted to fall."

Troy's heart was beating fast. "Why would you want to kill yourself?"

"Nobody wants us together, Troy. That's why Elise nearly killed me. She hates us together," said Gabriella, crawling away from him and over to the bench.

Troy helped her lean against the bench and sat next to her, holding her close. "I don't care what Elise or anybody else thinks."

Gabriella licked her lips before speaking again, staring at the ground. "Do you remember when I told you that we don't allow alcohol in my house?"

Troy nodded. "Yes."

"It's because of me." Gabriella paused. "I'm an alcoholic."

"But…" Troy stammered, completely shocked. This was the last thing he expected.

"It runs in the family and with my mom leaving all the time and my dad not being in the picture anymore, I was alone. So, I turned to alcohol to solve my problems of loneliness." She paused and looked at him. "I stopped when I moved here."

"Just like that?"

She nodded. "Obviously, I'm not doing a good job."

Troy sighed heavily. "Gabriella, you don't need to turn to alcohol to deal with all of this. I'm right here."

"Now you are," she mumbled.

Troy couldn't believe this. Sure, she was drunk and had no idea what she was talking about. But, still. She was talking crazy like he was going to leave her. "Gabriella, don't talk like that. I love you, okay? I've never been in love like this, but I am glad it's with you. I want to marry you, have a life with you, and grow old with you. I want you to know my feelings for you are deeper than you could ever imagine."

Gabriella didn't say anything as she listened to his confession. She did believe that he loved her. She loved him, too. She wanted all of that with him.

"I don't know why you want all of that with me. I'm broken. That girl you met has been a mask." She gestured to herself. "This is the real me."

Troy shook his head and cupped her cheeks gently. "No. You know what I see? I see a beautiful girl with a beautiful heart. She is the girl I first saw sitting next to my seat in Spanish. She is the girl I fell in love with at first sight. _That _is who I see."

She couldn't take it anymore. She collapsed against his body in a fit of silent tears and let him hold her as she sobbed for the girl she wanted to be and the love she desperately wanted to keep.

* * *

He couldn't have her stay there.

So, Troy told the nurse that Gabriella was sick and she needed a ride home. With school permission, he drove her to her house and helped her get comfortable. Though, she had passed out on the way to her house. He carried her gently into the house and laid her down under the covers in her bed. She immediately clutched on to the pillow as she slept off her drunken behavior.

Troy wondered if he should sleep next to her. Deciding he should so she wouldn't do anything irrational, he climbed into bed next to her and held her close. He smiled when she turned over and snuggled into his chest. He didn't care if she was now oblivious to what was happening, but he knew she wouldn't mind.

He was here to protect her and he always would protect her.

As she slept, he kept thinking back to her confession. It was a complete bombshell to know she was an alcoholic, even at her young age. It wasn't like he didn't find her perfect anymore. He still found Gabriella perfect, even with her imperfections revealed out in the open. It just made him love her even more.

* * *

Gabriella felt horrible. She felt like she needed to throw up and she felt like she was going to be crushed underneath the elephant's feet that kept pounding down on her head. She didn't want to move from this soft spot, though. She smelled something delicious, yet strangely sickening.

"Mhm," she mumbled into her pillow.

"So, you don't want pancakes?" asked Troy, chuckling as he stood in front of her bed with a plate of pancakes, orange juice, and aspirin.

Gabriella turned over and looked at him, squinting from the setting sun that dared to blast into her room. "Huh?"

"I made you pancakes. Rumor has it that they can cure a hangover. At least, if you get them from the waffle house," he chuckled.

She watched as Troy placed the tray over her legs carefully. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched as she gently picked at her meal. "So, can you refresh my memory on what happened? I don't remember much."

Troy sighed and gently began to rub her feet under the blanket. "Well, I don't know what happened before. I came to the rooftop and found you drunk and suicidal. I saved you from falling fifty feet to the ground and dying."

"I was going to jump?" she murmured incredulously.

"Yeah. I caught you in time and you said that you were an alcoholic. I don't know if it was just drunk talk, but…" He paused. "Is it true?"

Gabriella sighed and nodded, forgetting about her food. "Yes. It's true."

He sighed and looked down. "Gabriella, you can't do that to me again. I was afraid that I was going to lose you. I was scared to death."

"I'm sorry. Everything has just been crazy. It's like our relationship is not worth anything to anybody," she explained.

Troy scoffed and moved her tray away, setting it on the dresser. He sat across from her closely and cupped her face gently, staring into her eyes. "Stop talking like that. I don't give a shit about what anybody else thinks about our relationship. I only care about your thoughts and mine. My thoughts, when it comes to our relationship, are that I would never want to lose you. You are the most important person in my life, Gabriella."

She kept her tears at bay as she nodded with a smile. "I love you."

He smiled. "I love you, too."

Their lips met in a slow kiss until she gripped his shirt collar, bringing him closer to her body as they both laid together on the bed. Troy hovered over her body as her legs wrapped around his waist. His lips traveled to her neck as he peppered her skin with butterfly kisses.

He smiled and caressed her cheek. "I don't want to take advantage of you when you have a hangover."

Gabriella shook her head and bit her bottom lip, gripping his shirt collar. "I don't care."

* * *

**Author's Note: I apologize for this chapter's lateness! "At First Sight" is NOW AVAILABLE for the Nook, Kindle, iBook, and paperback. **

**Also, some of you have said that Gabriella shouldn't be a "damsel in distress" or someone who is "weak". I can assure you that she is not weak or a damsel in distress all the time. You will hear more of her story in the upcoming chapters. **


End file.
